Number 

LIBRARY 

Trinity  College 

Durham,  N.  C. 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
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ell-Springs 


OB  KSIIEH 


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Ring’s  l^ighway  to  <=J)eace  and  ^Prosperity. 


ssr 

W.  W.  BRRRSR,  M.  D. 

AUTHOR  OF 

“Twelve  Rules  of  Health  and  Glossary  of  Useful  Knowledge /' 
“Drifting;  A Tale  True  to  Life etc. 


HI* 

c> 

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PUBLISHED  BY 

j&outi)toesUrn  ^utUsijtng  Incuse, 


NASHVILLE. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1883, 

By  W.  W.  BREESE, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


DONOHUE  8.  HENNEBERRY,  PRINTERS  AND  BINDERS 
CHICAGO 


WITH  A GRATEFUL  HEART  AND  EVER  LINGERING,  PLEASANT 
MEMORY, 

THIS  VOLUME 


IS  MOST  AFFECTIONATELY  INSCRIBED  TO  A 


SAINTED  WIFE  AND  LOVING  DAUGHTER, 

WITHOUT  WHOSE  HELP  ITS  PREPARATION  MIGHT 
NEVER  HAVE  BEEN  COMPLETED. 


Let  not  Mercy  and  Truth  forsake  thee : bind 
them  about  thy  neck ; write  them  upon  the  table 
of  thine  heart ; so  shalt  thou  find  favor  and  good 
understanding  in  the  sight  of  God  and  man. 

Proverbs  III : 3,  4. 


^pREFCICE. 


The  author  has  gathered  materia]  for  this  book 
during  many  years.  In  this  time  he  has  consulted 
thousands  of  volumes  and  authors  innumerable. 
Great  quantities  of  manuscript  have  been  made, 
only  to  be  cast  aside  as  unavailable,  while  the  real 
treasures  have  been  retained  and  used. 

A well-known  author  has  said:  “Nothing:  is 

sillier  than  this  charge  of  plagiarism.  There  is  no 
eighth  commandment  in  art.  The  poet  dare  help 
himself  wherever  he  lists  — whenever  he  finds  ma- 
terial suited  to  his  work.  He  may  even  appro- 
priate entire  columns  with  their  carved  capitals,  if 
the  temple  he  thus  supports  be  a beautiful  one. 
Goethe  understood  this  very  well,  and  so  did 
Shakespeare  before  him.” 

In  the  language  of  another : “ I have  borrowed 
from  everything  and  everywhere,  to  the  best  of  my 
ability ; from  life  in  its  varied  forms,  and  from  tlm 
open  reservoirs  of  stolen  learning  called  books. 
He  is  richest  in  this  world  who  borrows  most.” 


4 


PREFACE. 


As  the  strippings  are  said  to  contain  the  cream,  so 
the  author’s  gleanings  in  the  field  of  knowledge 
condense  the  wisdom  of  many  minds  and  all  ages. 

This  book,  in  a word,  is  the  result  of  years 
spent  in  unwearied  study  and  research,  and  it  is 
sincerely  hoped  that  the  reader  may  derive  at  least 
a portion  of  the  pleasure  in  its  perusal  that  the 
author  has  had  in  its  composition. 

W.  W.  BREESE. 

Chicago,  Feb.  22,  1883. 


COH^EH 


The  Cradle  .... 

. 7 

The  Nursery  . . . 

. IO 

Early  Impressions  . 

• i5 

Parent  and  Child  . 

. 21 

Filial  Love  .... 

• 29 

the  Parent’s  Duty 

• 33 

The  True  Home 

• 39 

The  Mother’s  Hand  . 

. 49 

Home  and  Health  . . 

• 57 

Young  America  . 

• 63 

Choice  of  Occupation  . 

• 7o 

Appearances  .... 

• 75 

Work  or  Play  . 

• 79 

Good  Breeding  . 

. 87 

Think  and  Act  . 

• 93 

The  Strong  Man 

■ 99 

Common  Sense 

. 105 

Self-Control 

• 113 

Wanted  — A Man  . 

. 118 

Penny  Wise,  Pound  Foolish 

• 123 

The  Farmer’s  Home 

. 129 

City  People  .... 

• 135 

Friends  in  Need 

. 141 

Discretion  .... 

. 146 

Painstat  ng  . . . . 

■ 150 

From  the  Ranks 

• 155 

Duty  of  Making  Money 

. 162 

Secrets  of  Success  . 

. 167 

Squandering  Energies  . 

• 179 

Strength  of  Character 

. 185 

Strength  of  Influence 

. 192 

Constancy  .... 

• 199 

Power  of  Habit 

. 203 

Man  and  Circumstances 

. 209 

An  Ounce  of  Prevention 

• 215 

Persistency 220 

Decision 225 

Toleration 230 

Consistency 234 

Precision . 239 

Tact 243 

Debt  and  Destruction  . . 246 

Honesty  the  Best  Policy  . .251 

Moral  Courage 254 

Fidelity 261 

Heroes 269 

Keep  Cool 275 

Turning  Points 280 

Business  Morality  ....  286 

Social  Morality  . . . .291 

Self-Denial 295 

Patience  and  Forbearance  . 300 

Duties  of  Life 306 

Sowing 310 

Reaping 315 

Self-Helps 321 

Self-Education 327 

The  Best  Books  ....  333 

Wit,  Wisdom  and  Humor  . . 338 

Atoms 345 

Trifles 352 

Glimpses 359 

Driftwood 366 

Shoddy 374 

Curiosity 380 

Covetousness 383 

Selfishness 388 

Fanaticism 395 

Flattery 402 

Evil  Criticism 405 


6 CONTENTS. 


Evil  for  Evil  . 

410 

The  Law  of  Love  . 

Blasphemy  .... 

414 

The  Sabbath  . 

Falsehood  .... 

418 

The  Liberal  Soul  . . . . 

Cruelty  

424 

Past,  Present  and  Future  . 

Revenge  

43i 

Wonders  of  Nature 

The  Social  Tyrant 

434 

Wonders  of  Art  . . . . 

Reckless  or  Fearless  . 

442 

Words 

War 

448 

Oratory  

Duelling 

45i 

The  Power  of  Music  . 

Growling 

455 

Eccentricities  of  Genius  . 

Degradation  .... 

460 

True  Chivalry  

Secret  Sins  .... 

467 

Patriotism 

Vicious  Amusements 

473 

Modesty 

Dirt,  Disease  and  Death 

480 

Manly  Beauty 

Tramps 

483 

Womanly  Virtues  . . . . 

Cowards 

488 

Hospitality 

Sponging 

495 

Domestic  Ties 

Shirking 

5°4 

Philanthropy  

Miseries  of  Sin  . 

5IQ 

Marriage  Vows 

Pleasures  of  Piety  . 

516 

Conjugal  Fidelity  . . . . 

Everyday  Religion  . 

522 

The  Hearth-Stone  . 

The  Power  of  Prayer 

532 

The  True  Wife 

True  Repentance  . 

542 

The  Crown  of  LIonor 

Sunshine  and  Shadow  . 

550 

The  Good  Old  Days  . 

Truth  

555 

Respect  tfie  Aged  . . . . 

Providence  .... 

564 

Well-Earned  Rest  . . . . 

Christian  Charity  . 

577 

Milestones  of  Life  . . . . 

The  World’s  Hope  . 

586 

Harvest  Home 

Heart’s-Ease 

598 

The  Grave  . .v  . . . 

Christian  Graces  . . 

6c6 

618 

630 

637 

645 

6^2 

667 

677 

684 

692 

698 

703 

709 

7i5 

721 

726 

736 

744 

752 

756 

762 

768 

771 

775 

778 

781 

785 

789 

792 

796 


* 


♦te: 


She  Si^ADiiE. 

“From  the  cradle  to  the  grave”  we  reach  for  bet 
ter  things,  and  no  parent,  with  an  honest  heart,  will  be 
content  to  give  his  child  no  better  things  than  he  him- 
self has  had.  Although  your  aspirations  for  your 
child  may  prove  to  be  but  phantoms  that  continually 
elude  your  grasp,  yet  you  may  make  them  realities  if 
you  are  willing  to  toil  with  the  earnestness  of  a true 
man.  To  help  you  in  this  task  shall  be  one  of  the 
leading  objects  of  this  book. 

The  smallest  children  are  nearest  to  God,  as  the 
smallest  planets  are  nearest  the  sun.  The  clew  of  our 
destiny,  wander  where  we  will,  lies  at  the  cradle’s  foot. 
Within  the  cradle  lies  the  most  cherished,  the  fondest, 
hopes  of  the  true  mother.  The  very  helplessness  of 
die  tiny  bit  of  humanity  appeals  with  the  greatest  suc- 
cess to  our  love,  and  calls  forth  our  most  tender  care. 
Our  most  joyous  moments,  as  well  as  most  profitable, 
are  spent  at  the  cradle’s  side.  He  builds  for  eternity 


8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


who  instructs  the  tender  babe  in  the  joys  of  heaven. 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  marvelous  credulity  of  a little 
child,  and  no  blacker  crime  can  be  committed  than  to 
impose  upon  it  by  falsehood. 

The  hand  that  rocks  the  cradle  rules  the  world. 
The  destinies  of  a nation  are  wrapped  within  the 
cradle  blanket,  if  wisdom  but  guides  the  hand  that 
tucks  its  edges  down.  The  child  is  father  to  the  man, 
but  the  mother  plants  the  germ.  The  tender  touch  of 
love,  like  the  steel  placed  to  the  magnet,  draws  the 
hidden  forces  from  their  deepest  recess,  and  starts  a 
life  of  eternal  activity. 

Consider  for  a moment  the  condition  of  a new- 
born babe.  What  seeming  contradictions  are  here ! 
What  possibilities  are  wrapped  up  in  that  tiny  frame 
and  undeveloped  mind!  That  little  hand  may  some 
day  wield  the  scepter  of  an  empire  ; it  is  now  nerve- 
less and  impotent.  That  tongue  may  some  day  move 
multitudes  by  its  eloquence;  it  is  now  voiceless.  That 
mind  may  some  day  master  great  problems  — learn- 
ing much  of  God,  his  word,  and  his  works ; it  is  now 
ignorant  of  the  simplest  truths. 

Had  the  period  of  our  dependence  been  only  as 
long  as  the  brood  remains  with  the  parent  bird,  the 
endearing  names  of  father  and  mother  would  have 
been  empty  sounds ; little  opportunity  would  have 
been  afforded  to  them  for  the  formation  of  our  char- 
acter, and  one  of  the  most  pleasing  illustrations  of 
providential  appointments  would  have  been  lost. 

How  sublime  a thing  is  such  helplessness  of  in- 
fancy, such  dependence  of  childhood ! And  how 


THE  CRADLE. 


9 


sacred  is  fatherhood  and  motherhood!  Would  God 
that  we  understood  these  things  aright ! Then,  in- 
deed, would  “ the  hearts  of  the  fathers  be  turned  to 
their  children.” 

John  Foster,  on  the  birth  of  his  son,  wrote  a friend, 
“ If  the  fellow  turns  out  well,  I shall  not  so  much  mind 
about  his  being  extra  clever.  It  is  goodness  that  the 
world  is  wretched  for  wanting.” 

When  the  hand  of  death  is  laid  upon  the  babe  that 
has  nestled  for  but  a few  brief  months  in  its  mother’s 
arms,  or  the  bright-eyed  prattler  who  has  made  the 
household  glad  with  his  merriment,  the  feeling  of 
those  upon  whom  the  blow  has  fallen  must,  at  first,  be 
one  of  utter  and  impenetrable  gloom.  The  anguish  of 
the  mother  as  she  lays  her  first-born  in  the  grave,  and 
the  bitterness  ot  heart  with  which  the  father  returns 
from  his  enforced  toil  to  the  home  which  death  has 
made  desolate — these  are  feelings  which,  in  the  first 
burst  of  sorrow,  no  words  of  consolation  may  mitigate 
or  assuage. 

And  yet  there  are,  in  the  death  of  little  children, 
motives  of  consolation  open  to  us  from  which  we  are 
sometimes  estopped  in  the  death  of  those  of  riper 
years  - - motives  which,  as  the  weeks  pass  on,  may 
appeal  soothingly  to  those  who  have  laid  their  dear 
ones  in  the  grave,  and  help  God’s  chastening  to  “ yield 
the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness  to  them  that  are 
exercised  thereby.” 

Those  who  have  lost  an  infant  are  never,  as  it 
were,  without  an  infant  child.  Their  other  children 
grow  ud  to  manhood  and  womanhood  and  suffer  all 


IO 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  changes  of  mortality;  but  this  one  alone  is  ren- 
dered an  immortal  child,  for  death  has  arrested  it  with 
his  kindly  harshness,  and  blessed  it  into  an  eternal 
image  of  youth  and  innocence. 


©HE  HU^SEI^Y. 

It  is  idle  to  suppose  that  children  will  of  necessity 
love  their  homes  simply  because  there  they  eat,  sleep 
and  dwell.  Father  and  mother  are  there,  and  there 
center  the  interests  of  the  young  lives,  it  is  true,  but 
as  boys  and  girls  grow  beyond  infancy  they  begin  to 
have  cravings  of  their  own,  and  to  show  their  separate 
individualities.  Wise  parents  plan  to  make  their  chil- 
dren happy  and  satisfied  at  home.  They  do  not  take 
the  happiness  and  satisfaction  too  much  for  granted, 
nor  do  they  leave  it  to  accident  wholly,  whether  or  not 
the  house  is  pleasant  in  its  atmosphere  and  ways. 

There  should  be  room  in  every  household  for  the 
children’s  treasures.  If  a room  can  be  set  aside  for 
the  boys’  tools,  their  printing  presses,  scroll-saws,  etc.,  so 
much  the  better.  Boys  who  have  in-door  occupations 
which  charm  them  will  not  be  restless  and  eager  for 
the  street  all  the  time  when  school  hours  are  over. 
Both  boys  and  girls  should  be  encouraged  to  make 
collections  of  birds’  eggs,  ores,  postage-stamps,  curi- 
osities of  wood  and  field,  pressed  ferns  and  flowers, 
shells  from  the  seaside  and  quartz  from  the  mountain, 
bits  of  bark,  relics  of  mound-builders  and  Indian 


THE  NURSERY. 


I I 

hunters,  old  coins,  newspapers  and  books  of  a V -a-one 
day,  and  other  like  things  which  young  people  f r'ze. 

She  is  a foolish  mother  who  frowns  on  these  miners 

o 

because  they  take  space  in  the  house  or  make  a little 
confusion  there.  Swiftly,  ah ! far  too  swiftly,  we  think 
when  we  grow  older,  our  little  ones  are  reaching  up- 
ward to  maturity.  While  they  are  young  and  can  be 
moulded  is  it  not  the  mother’s  duty  to  cultivate  in  them 
a love  of  nature,  a love  of  study,  a love  of  the  beautiful, 
and  this  not  by  undue  restraint,  or  pettish  fault-finding, 
but  by  allowing  them  delights  at  home  under  her  own 
eye?  These  collections  quietly  going  on  in  farm-houses 
and  town  residences  are  affording  inquisitive  young 
folks  just  the  opportunities  they  need  for  finding  out 
many  bits  of  geographical  and  historical  information 
which  lie  out  of  the  beaten  track  of  the  text-book,  and 
which  would  never  be  discovered  in  the  recitation-room. 
They  are  essential  parts  in  home  education. 

It  is  a maxim  with  the  Jewish  rabbins  that  the  love 
that  is  not  accompanied  with  reproof  is  not  genuine. 
But  this  must  have  its  limits^  and  not  be  extended  to 
those  in  whom  there  is  nothing  to  reprove.  Many  a 
mother  scolds  her  child  for  trifles  under  the  mistaken 
notion  that  he  will  be  corrupted  by  too  much  kindness 
and  sympathy. 

I read  somewhere  lately  “ that  we  are  not  always 
as  considerate  toward  children  as  we  ought  to  be,” 
which  suggested  the  following  question  : Do  we  not 
often  try  children  beyond  what  they  ought  to  be  re- 
quired to  bear  in  the  way  of  putting  off  attending  to 
their  wants — wants  which  to  us  seem  unimportant, 


I 2 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

but  to  them  are  of  the  utmost  consequence?  We  for- 
get what  a great  length  of  time  a day  or  even  an  hour 
seemed  to  us  in  childhood,  and  that  “ hope  deferred 
maketh  the  heart  sick.”  So  we  let  the  little  one’s 
“great  expectations”  wear  him  into  ill-humor  and  fret- 
fulness through  our  failure  to  recognize  how  much  more 
sensitive  children  are  than  we  to  disappointment  and 
delay.  Not  that  I advocate  making  the  children  of  the 
house  of  greater  importance  than  their  elders,  but 
might  not  their  tempers  and  nervous  system  be  saved 
many  a strain  by  a little  thought  and  care  on  the  part 
of  the  mothers  ? Childhood’s  trials  are  as  real,  and 
more  keenly  felt,  than  those  of  riper  years.  There  are 
many  parents  who  train  their  children  rather  in  the 
way  they  choose  for  them  than  in  the  way  they 
should  go. 

The  best  paternity  is  that  which  can  be  at  once 
mentor,  counselor,  sympathizer  and  friend;  that  fits 
neatly  the  older-brother  relationship  without  making 
display  of  it.  General  observation  testifies  that  the 
most  perfect  government  is  most  infrequently,  most 
quietly  and  most  gently  exercised ; it  lacks  deeds,  and 
it  positively  lacks  threats,  nor  is  it  an  after-hindrance. 
To  influence  the  young  to  their  being  governed  with- 
out their  knowing  it — by  being  at  once  of  them,  with 
them,  and  still  above  them — is  the  ideal  type  of  success- 
ful management. 

A child  is  a veritable  Athenian,  always  desiring  to 
hear  something  new.  As  he  matures  he  carries  this 
need  on  and  up  with  him,  and  he  who  would  be  a 
teacher  must  know  this  fact  and  feed  this  desire.  It 


THE  NURSERY. 


13 


may  be  the  source  of  great  good  or  it  may  be  the 
source  of  great  evil. 

o 

What  terrible  wrecks  in  life  have  resulted  from  the 
vicious  influence  of  a trusted  nurse ! How  many  of 
us  look  back  at  our  own  childhood  and  bitterly  mourn 
the  evil  work  wrought  in  our  natures  by  thoughtless 
helpers.  Our  parents  were  unaware  of  the  fire  that 
they  allowed  to  be  kindled  within  us,  and  although  in 
our  mature  years  we  have  struggled,  with  the  energy 
of  despair,  to  quench  its  flames,  yet  it  still  smoulders 
to  mock  us  with  its  dangerous  presence. 

Father  ! Mother  ! Can  you  not  understand,  and 
will  you  not  heed  our  tearful  warning?  Oh!  beware 
in  time,  that  your  child  may  not  rise  up  and  curse  you 
for  your  negligence.  Guard  that  child  from  those 
dangerous  influences,  from  that  deadly  evil,  which  may 
end  in  moral  death  and  mental  weakness,  if  they  do 
not  destroy  the  body  also. 

Be  sure  that  you  know  where  your  child  goes  and 
whom  he  plays  with.  Watch  him  with  a jealous  eye. 
and  yet  without  interfering  unnecessarily.  Give  him 
so  much  freedom  that  he  will  not  feel  you  are  a tyrant ; 
but  teach  him  to  restrain  his  desires  at  your  command. 
Above  all  know  where  and  with  whom  he  sleeps  at 
night.  Insist  upon  his  being  at  home  before  dark,  un- 
less trusted  friends  are  with  him,  and  that  he  must 
sleep  in  his  own  bed.  If  he  has  a playmate  to  stay 
with  him  at  night  put  them  in  separate  beds,  even  if  it 
is  inconvenient  to  do  so. 

Children  spoiled  in  the  nursery  can  seldom  be 
mended  in  the  sanctuary.  And  it  is  equally  true  of 


H 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


them,  that  if  they  are  well-moulded  in  the  nursery,  and 
well-finished  in  the  Sunday-school,  it  is  hard  to  spoil 
them  afterward. 

Would  to  God  that  we  knew  what  an  opportunity 
for  bringing-  our  children  to  their  Saviour  their  helpless 
infancy  and  dependent  childhood  give  us  ! Their  help- 
lessness is  complete,  but  it  is  not  abject,  for  they  are 
redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  their  depend- 
ence creates  our  opportunity  for  teaching  them  to 
know  and  love  Him. 

Lycurgus,  iron-hearted  law-giver  of  Lacedaemon,  un- 
derstood but  one  thing  of  a male  infant — it  might  make 
a soldier.  The  old  Spartan  theory  made  the  state 
everything,  the  individual  nothing.  Hence  that  heart- 
less code  which  required  that  delicate  or  deformed 
children  should  be  “exposed”  — abandoned  to  wild 
beasts,  or  in  some  other  fashion  be  put  out  of  the 
way. 

No  doubt  we  love  them.  We  toil  for  them  through 
winter  and  summer.  We  never  rest.  We  think  for 
them  by  day  and  dream  of  them  by  night.  They  fill 
our  thoughts  ; they  create  our  anxieties  ; they  excite 
our  hopes  ; they  alarm  our  fears.  But,  alas  ! we  love 
them  in  a blind  sort  of  way — the  love  of  higher  in- 
stinct— when  we  do  not  know  that  for  our  children 
the  best  knowledge,  and,  indeed,  the  only  indispensable 
knowledge,  is  the  knowledge  of  God.  The  good  old 
sentence  tells  us  that  it  is  better  a great  deal  to  be 
unborn  than  either  unbred  or  bred  amiss,  yet  it  cannot 
but  be  a matter  of  very  sad  reflection  to  any  parent 
to  think  within  himself  that  he  should  be  instrumental 


EARLY  IMPRESSIONS. 


15 


in  giving  his  child  a body  only  to  damn  his  soul. 
Therefore  let  parents  remember,  that  as  the  pater- 
nal is  the  most  honorable  relation,  so  it  is  also  the 
greatest  trust  in  the  world,  and  that  God  will  be  a cer- 
tain and  severe  exactor  of  it ; and  the  more  so  because 
they  have  such  weighty  opportunities  to  discharge  it, 
and  that  with  almost  infallible  success. 

A mother  once  asked  a man  of  wisdom,  “At  what  A 
age  should  I begin  to  teach  my  child?”  “ How  old  is 
he  now?”  inquired  the  sage.  “Two  years  old,”  the 
mother  answered.  “ Then,”  said  he,  “ you  have  already 
lost  about  two  years.” 


Garly  Impressions. 

“ Children  are  wnat  their  mothers  are.”  Have 
you  never  walked  through  the  dirty,  dismal  part  of 
a city  and  heard  little  lips  utter  oaths  and  profane 
words  in  their  childish  ways?  Dear  children,  are 
they  alone  to  blame  ? Little  ones  have  sharp  eyes. 

A lady  was  speaking  in  a light,  playful  way  to  a 
motherless  one  of  something  in  her  father’s  looks. 
The  child  mistook  her  manner  for  jesting  and  “making 
fun.”  The  little  face  grew  sadder  and  sadder,  soon 
she  covered  it,  crept  under  the  table,  gave  way  to 
violent  tears,  and  nothing  could  pacify  her,  for  her 
father  was  as  dear  to  her  as  her  life. 

“ My  teacher  does  so,”  said  a child  illustrating  the 
habit.  When  the  teacher  was  informed  of  the  schol- 


1 6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ar’s  remark  he  was  not  aware  of  his  conduct  in  this 
respect,  and  was  glad  to  correct  the  foolish,  nervous 
habit. 

Have  you  never  seen  children  of  different  schools 
“playing  school”  together,  and  each  one  wants  every- 
thing done  just  as  “my  teacher”  does  it?  Who  of 
us  cannot  remember  the  words  and  ways  of  our 
teacher  ? Parents,  teachers,  are  we  not  eyes  and  ears 
to  the  little  ones  around  us?  Each  reader  may  make 
the  application  of  the  truth. 

Some  years  ago  a native  Greenlander  came  to  the 
United  States.  It  was  too  hot  for  him  here,  so  he  made 
up  his  mind  to  return  home,  and  took  passage  on  a ship 
that  was  going  that  way.  But  he  died  before  he  got 
back;  and,  as  he  was  dying,  he  turned  to  those  who 
were  around  him  and  said:  “Go  on  deck,  and  see  if 

you  can  see  ice.”  “What  a strange  thing!”  some 
would  say.  It  was  not  a strange  thing  at  all.  When 
that  man  was  a baby  the  first  thing  he  saw,  after  his 
mother,  was  ice.  His  house  was  made  of  ice.  The 
window  was  a slab  of  ice.  He  was  cradled  in  ice. 
If  he  ever  sat  at  a table,  it  was  a table  of  ice.  The 
water  he  drank  was  melted  ice.  The  scenery  about 
his  house  was  ice.  The  mountains  were  of  ice.  The 
fields  were  of  ice.  And  when  he  became  a man  he 
had  a sledge  and  twelve  dogs,  that  ran  fifty  miles  a 
day.  And  many  a day  he  stopped  over  a hole  in  the 
ice  twenty-four  hours,  to  put  his  spear  in  the  head  of 
any  seal  that  might  come  there.  He  had  always  been 
accustomed  to  see  ice;  and  he  knew  that  if  his  com- 
panions on  the  ship  could  see  ice  it  would  be  evidence 


EARLY  IMPRESSIONS. 


17 

that  he  was  near  home.  The  thought  of  ice  was  the 
very  last  thought  in  his  mind,  as  it  was  the  very  first 
impression  made  there.  The  earliest  impressions  are 
the  deepest.  Those  things  which  are  instilled  into  the 
hearts  of  children  endure  forever  and  forever. 

The  recollection  of  childhood  is  never  wholly  oblit- 
erated from  the  mind.  Make  the  days  at  home  so 
happy  that,  when  the  children  have  grown  to  matu- 
rity, and  have  passed  from  your  influence  out  into  the 
world’s  toil  and  strife,  they  may  look  back  upon  their 
childhood  as  a joyous,  beautiful,  and  sacred  portion  of 
their  lives. 

Surely  such  memories  will  make  their  hearts 
stronger  and  their  lives  better. 

The  mind  is  the  heart’s  mouth.  Thrust  truth  into 
the  child’s  mind.  If  it  is  the  bread  of  life  to  the  child, 
it  will  not  stay  in  his  mind;  it  will  sink  down  deeper; 
it  will  go  to  his  heart ; and  the  hunger  of  the  heart 
will  grow  by  what  it  feeds  on.  The  heart  will  crave 
more  and  more  forever.  “Blessed  are  they  which  do 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness.”  Why?  Be- 
cause they  will  eventually  cease  from  hungering?  bfot 
at  all.  That  would  be  no  blessing.  It  would  be  a 
curse.  But  because  they  shall  be  filled,  and  keep  on 
hungering  and  thirsting,  to  be  filled  again  and  again. 
Feed  the  sheep.  Feed  the  lambs.  Truth  is  the  bread 
of  life.  Put  truth  into  the  mind.  Teach,  teach, 
teach ! 

Every  first  thing  continues  forever  with  the  child ; 
the  first  color,  the  first  music,  the  first  flower,  paint  the 

foreground  of  his  life.  The  first  inner  or  outer  object 
2 


i8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  love,  injustice,  or  such  like,  throws  a shadow  im- 
measurably far  along  his  after  years. 

Let  the  child-life  dwell  as  longr  as  it  will  in  the  heart 
of  the  child.  Care  and  the  sense  of  burdened  respon- 
sibility will  come  all  too  swiftly.  But  the  lingering 
glow  and  gladness  of  the  early  years  shall  touch  with 
softness  their  hard  lines. 

There  are  no  more  flagrant  instances  of  unchari- 
table judging — and  no  cases  in  which  it  inflicts  greater 
injury — than  are  often  seen  in  the  treatment  of  children 
by  grown  persons.  A trifling  fault  is  magnified  into  a 
grave  and  deliberately  planned  offense.  Motives  are 
attributed  to  the  thoughtless  little  transgressors  which 
could  only  belong  to  a far  more  advanced  stage  of 
mental  development ; and  not  only  is  gross  injustice 
done  and  the  keen  pain  of  it  inflicted,  but  many  times 
the  young  soul  is  made  disingenuous  and  revengeful 
by  being  unfairly  suspected  and  accused  of  deceit  or 
revenge.  We  need  not  be  afraid  of  having  too  much 
charity;  and  a safe  general  rule  is,  when  we  can  find 
nothing  good  to  say  of  a child,  to  say  nothing. 

President  Garfield  said,  “That  man  will  be  a bene- 
factor of  his  race  who  shall  teach  us  how  to  manage 
rightly  the  first  years  of  a child’s  education.” 

There  is  a process  of  education  constantly  going 
on  in  every  dwelling  which  care  and  thought  can  make 
an  unspeakable  advantage,  and  at  the  same  time  con- 
tribute to  make  a happy  home.  To  keep  objects  of 
pure  and  high  interest  before  the  children’s  minds,  in  a 
natural  and  suitable  way — to  have  them  supplied  with 
such  books  as  will  occupy  and  interest — to  talk  not  so 


EARLY  IMPRESSIONS. 


19 


much  to  them  as  with  them  about  objects — to  take  note 
of  and  encourage  any  advance  they  make,  and  to  di- 
rect the  flow  not  of  a part,  but  of  the  whole , of  their 
life — physical,  mental,  moral,  without  apparent  interfer- 
ence or  violence ; this  happy  art — to  be  sought,  prayed 
for,  labored  for  — under  God’s  blessing  goes  far  to 
make  a happy  home.  The  tastes  of  children  are  natu- 
rally simple.  Your  child’s  wooden  gun,  cut  with  your 
own  hand,  perhaps,  and  made  a link  of  connection  be- 
tween your  little  boy  and  you,  may  be  more  to  him, 
more  influential  over  his  character,  more  potent  in 
binding  his  heart  to  you  while  living,  his  memory  to 
you  when  you  are  dead,  than  a costly  gift  that  you  or- 
dered at  the  store.  And  when  you,  living  a loving, 
natural  life  before  your  children,  and  with  them,  bend 
the  knee  in  their  midst,  and  speak  to  God  of  them  and 
of  yourself,  there  is  a powerful  restraint  being  put  on 
natural  evil,  there  is  a pleasant  type  of  heaven  where 
the  whole  family  that  is  named  after  Jesus  shall  be 
gathered  together. 

The  director  of  one  of  the  largest  State  lunatic 
asylums  in  Germany,  maintained  at  a recent  meeting 
of  physicians  that  much  of  the  notorious  increase  of  in- 
sanity in  Germany  is  attributable  to  the  excessive 
amount  of  work  imposed  upon  the  pupils  in  the  na- 
tional schools.  In  order  to  acquit  himself  in  any  way 
creditably,  a pupil  of  average  ability  must,  it  is  calcu- 
lated, in  addition  to  attending  punctually  and  working 
diligently  during  school  hours,  work  at  home  at  least 
two  hours  daily  when  in  the  lower  classes,  three  hours 
when  in  the  middle,  and  four  or  five  hours  when  in  the 


2G 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


upper  classes.  A boy,  therefore,  of  say  sixteen  years 
or  upward,  has  to  work  in  school  thirty-six  hours  and  at 
home  twenty-four  hours  a week,  or,  with  the  exception 
of  Sundays,  for  ten  hours  every  day  of  the  week.  Sev- 
eral doctors  in  private  practice,  who  took  part  in  the 
discussion  which  followed  the  reading  of  the  paper, 
also  spoke  of  the  increasing  frequency  of  morbid 
irritability  in  children,  the  result  of  overwork,  which, 
although  it  might  not  always  drive  pupils  into  the  luna- 
tic asylum,  often  lastingly  and  prejudicially  affected 
their  constitutions. 

Children  who  have  a little  money  ought  to  practice 
saving  something.  Many  boys  and  girls  of  to-day 
hardly  know  a higher  use  for  any  money  that  cornea 
into  their  hands  than  spending  it  for  some  foolish 
thing  as  quickly  as  possible.  To  such  a lesson  in 
self-denial  and  economy  is  very  important.  As  go 
the  boy’s  pennies  and  dimes,  so,  very  likely,  will  go 
the  man’s  dollars  and  hundreds  by-and-by.  Without 
having  the  spirit  of  a miser,  the  person  accustomed 
to  save  has  more  pleasure  in  laying  up  than  a spend- 
thrift ever  knows. 

Singing  mothers  generally  have  musical  children. 
They  cultivate  in  their  offspring  a love  for  song  with- 
out knowing  it.  The  infant,  while  listening  to  its 
mother’s  singing,  takes  a music  lesson. 

The  importance  of  early  impressions  is  indeed 
generally  acknowledged,  and  the  permanent  effects 
often  produced  by  them  are  too  obvious  to  be  disre- 
garded; neither  can  it  be  denied  that  the  power  thus 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  every  mother  is  in  many 


PARENT  AND  CHILD. 


21 


instances  judiciously  used  and  turned  to  good  account. 
But  still  the  question  presents  itself,  Whence  is  it  that 
what  is  called  Christian  education  fails,  in  so  many 
instances,  to  produce  even  those  outward  and  visible 
effects  which  might  be  fairly  anticipated  as  the  result 
of  a systematic  course  of  instruction  in  the  principles 
of  religion?  Why  is  it  that  the  education  ordinarily 
afforded  to  children  of  parents  professing  Christianity 
has  often  so  little  sensible  effect  upon  their  moral 
character,  their  daily  habits  and  conduct?  The 
answer  to  this  question  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  the  want  of  conformity  between  the  precepts  of 
the  mother  and  her  example  often  renders  her  most 
anxious  efforts  in  the  education  of  her  children  feeble, 
if  not  powerless. 

— — 

AND  (i)HJIIiD. 

It  is  not  the  fondest  parent  who  always  loves  his 
child  the  best,  nor  the  most  doting  who  will  gain  the 
child’s  most  devoted  and  lasting  love.  On  the  other 
hand  the  severest  parents  are  not  those  who  govern 
most  wisely  and  successfully.  But  let  parental  au- 
thority be  tempered  with  fatherly  affection,  and  let 
the  rein  of  discipline  be  steadily  held  by  this  powerful 
but  affectionate  hand,  and  there  shall  the  pleasure  of 
God  prosper;  there  will  he  give  his  blessing,  even  life 
forevermore. 

Denying  a child  the  opportunity  of  education  is 


22 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


worse  than  ordinary  robbery,  for  it  is  a wrong  that  can 
never  be  atoned  for.  It  robs  the  child  of  his  seed-time 
and  limits,  mars  and  blights  his  harvest.  No  gifts  of 
gold  or  land  can  atone  for  such  a wrong.  It  is  a per- 
sonal injury,  inflicted  on  the  helpless,  and  by  the  hand 
that  of  all  others  owed  blessing  and  not  blighting. 

“I  had  no  idea,”  said  a tiller  of  the  soil,  “that  I made 
such  crooked  work  planting  those  peas.”  And  he 
looked  with  no  little  annoyance  upon  the  tender  green 
zigzagging  up  through  the  black  loam.  And  so,  we 
think,  it  will  be  with  certain  parents,  when  the  planting 
they  are  doing  now  in  their  children’s  hearts  starts  to 
the  surface.  But  it  is  by  far  more  difficult  to  straighten 
a crooked  row  than  to  make  a straight  one. 

Our  young  people  should  be  brought  up  from  earli- 
est childhood  to  familiarity  with  the  church,  and  to  the 
habit  of  going  to  church.  Our  Sunday-school  children 
from  five  years  upward  should  be  trained  to  attend  the 
preaching  service.  If  a child  can  attend  but  one  ser- 
vice on  Sunday  it  should  attend  the  preaching  service 
rather  than  the  Sunday-school,  for  the  sake  of  the  spirit 
of  reverence  which  the  preaching  service  promotes. 
It  is  a good  thing  for  father,  mother,  son  and  daughter 
to  sit  in  the  same  pew  in  the  morning  together,  to  hear 
the  standards  set  up  and  the  earnest  appeals  of  the 
gospel  sounded  forth. 

How  often  do  we  hear  a parent  say,  “I  never  had 
anything  as  good  as  that  when  I was  a child,”  and  yet 
how  cruel  that  is.  How  unjust  and  really  mean  spirited 
is  the  heart  that  can  delight  itself  in  the  privations  of 
another,  A father  will  say  of  his  sons,  “Let  them  do 


PARENT  AND  CHILD.?" 


23 


as  I have  clone,  and  make  their  own  way  in  the  world.” 
This  is  the  opposite  extreme  of  folly  from  the  one  who 
shields  his  sons  from  every  hardship  or  industrious 
effort.  It  is  a noble  thing  to  place  your  children  in  a 
better  position  than  you  occupied,  but  it  is  no  less  a 
despicable  and  disgraceful  thing  to  neglect  to  give  them 
a proper  training  to  fit  them  for  that  position. 

Most  mothers  need  no  counsel  in  this  direction. 
The  wrinkles  on  their  brow,  the  pallor  on  their  cheek, 
the  thimble-mark  on  their  finger,  attest  that  they  are 
faithful  in  their  maternal  duties.  The  bloom  and  the 
brightness  and  the  vivacity  of  girlhood  have  given 
place  for  the  grander  dignity  and  usefulness  and 
industry  of  motherhood.  But  there  is  a heathenish 
idea  getting  abroad  in  some  of  the  families  of  Ameri- 
cans; there  are  mothers  who  banish  themselves  from 
the  home  circle.  For  three-fourths  of  their  maternal 
duties  they  prove  themselves  incompetent.  They  are 
ignorant  of  what  their  children  wear,  and  what  their 
children  eat,  and  what  their  children  read.  They  in- 
trust to  irresponsible  persons  these  young  immortals, 
and  allow  them  to  be  under  influences  which  may 
cripple  their  bodies,  or  taint  their  purity,  or  spoil  their 
manners,  or  destroy  their  souls.  God  would  not  have 
a mother  become  a drudge  or  a slave;  he  would 
have  her  employ  all  the  helps  possible  in  this  day  in 
the  rearing  of  her  children. 

One  of  our  noblest  poets  sang — 

“ The  bravest  are  the  tenderest ; 

The  loving  are  the  daring.” 

Napoleon,  Washington  and  Garfield  were  loving 


24 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  obedient  to  their  mothers,  whose  approval  they 
prized  far  above  the  noisy  acclamations  of  millions. 
Our  blessed  Lord  himself,  in  the  hour  of  his  great 
agony,  cared  tenderly  for  the  sorrowing  mother  who 
had  so  gently  guided  his  infant  ways. 

Many  a light-minded,  light-hearted  girl,  who  has 
danced  and  flirted  and  sentimentalized  through  her 
happy  spring-time,  finds  the  sweet  compulsion  of 
nature  too  strong  for  her;  very  soon  she  forgets  all  her 
follies  and  settles  down  into  the  real  mother,  whom  love 
instructs  in  all  things  necessary;  who  shrinks  from  no 
trouble,  is  equal  to  all  duties;  is  to  her  children  nurse, 
companion,  play-fellow,  as  well  as  cloctress,  seamstress, 
teacher,  friend — everything  in  short.  Her  babe,  climb- 
ing to  her  side,  attests  the  pure  delight  in  each  fond 
heart.  The  mother’s  love  for  her  child  is  the  truest 
type  of  Christ’s  love  for  us. 

But  even  when  that  mother-love  is  there,  is  love  suf- 
ficient? Not  always.  It  will  not  make  up  for  the  lack 
of  common  sense,  self-control,  accurate  and  orderly 
ways — 

“ The  reason  firm,  the  temperate  will ; 

Endurance,  foresight,  strength,  and  skill.” 

Nor  does  the  mere  fact  of  parenthood  by  a sort  of 
divine  right  constitute  all  parents  infallible,  as  they  are 
so  apt  to  suppose,  and  by  their  conduct  expect  their 
children  to  believe. 

d he  child  will  not  believe  it,  not  after  the  very  first, 
unless  the  parent  prove  it;  and  this  by  something 
stronger  than  bare  assertion  or  natural  instinct.  It 
may  be  a dangerous  thing  to  suggest,  but  I am  afraid 


Ml  © T IM  E R 


IP  E T 


PARENT  AND  CHILD. 


25 


the  idea  of  some  mysterious  instinctive  bond  between 
parent  and  child  is  a mere  superstition.  No  doubt  the 
feeling  is  there,  but  it  may  be  exercised  equally  with 
or  without  the  tie  of  blood. 

The  following  admirable  letter  was  written  by  the 
late  Baron  Alderson  to  his  son,  who  had  left  home  for 
his  first  experience  at  boarding  school: 

“I  will  sit  down  and  write  to  you  to-night  before  I go 
to  sleep,  that  I may  talk  with  my  darling  boy  in  imag- 
ination at  least,  though  I cannot  see  his  dear  face.  I 
was  very  sorry  to  part  with  you  last  Wednesday,  but 
as  it  is  for  your  good,  I must  submit  to  it,  and  your  letter 
to-day  makes  me  sure  you  will  be  happy  in  your  new 
mode  of  life  very  soon.  It  must  seem  at  first  strange 
to  you,  and  you  will  often  think  of  home.  I should  be 
sorry  that  you  did  not,  but  in  a little  while,  if  you  are 
a good  boy — and  I feel  sure  you  will  be  so — you  will 
find  school  a happy  place. 

“I  hear  you  are  diligent  and  obliging.  That  gives 
me  great  pleasure,  for  I set  much  more  store  by  dili- 
gence than  by  what  people  call  talent  or  genius.  A 
diligent  boy  is  sure  to  do  well,  and  if  to  it  he  adds  tal- 
ent, he  does  excellently.  But  the  merit  is  in  making  a 
good  use  of  the  talent  entrusted  to  you.  If  the  servant 
in  the  Gospel  had  had  ten  talents  instead  of  one,  and 
had  hid  them  in  a napkin,  his  lord  would  have  equally 
thought  him  unworthy  of  reward.  It  was  the  diligent 
servant  who  was  rewarded. 

“ I shall  be  very  glad  if,  when  you  write  to  me,  you 
will  tell  me  how  you  spend  your  time,  and  what  lessons 
you  are  learning,  what  companions  you  have,  which  of 


26 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


them  you  like  best,  what  games  you  play  at,  and  all 
such  like  things.  A letter  should  be  all  about  oneself 
and  one’s  own  thoughts,  and  should  be  just  as  if  you 
were  sitting  down  to  talk  to  me. 

“I  think  of  you  every  day,  morning  and  evening  in 
particular,  and  please  myself  in  thinking  that  when 
papa  and  mamma  are  praying  for  their  dear  boy,  he 
may  be  doing  so,  too,  for  them. 

“There  is  a story  of  two  lovers  who  agreed  at  the 
same  hour  to  go  and  look  at  the  moon  every  moon- 
light night,  and  that  was  a tie  between  them,  for  they 
felt  then  as  if  they  were  together.  How  much  better 
is  it  to  be  looking,  not  to  the  thing  created,  but  to  God 
himself!  That  is  indeed  to  be  together  really;  to  be 
praying  all  of  us  at  once  to  Him  is  to  be  as  it  were 
united  through  him  forever,  and  to  make  a beginning 
of  heaven  on  earth.  My  own  dear  boy  will  remember 
this,  and  we  shall  not  be  separated  then,  but  every  day 
be  together  in  spirit,  if  not  in  bodily  presence.” 

No  wise  farmer  would  entrust  an  inexperienced 
laborer  with  his  lands  and  stock.  A merchant  would 
scarcely  allow  a blunderer  to  keep  his  books.  Dear 
lady  reader,  would  you  give  a valuable  piece  of  velvet 
or  silk  into  the  hands  of  a person  of  whose  skill  as  a 
cutter  and  fitter  you  have  no  positive  assurance? 
Behold  with  how  much  care  men  and  women  proceed 
in  matters  like  these,  yet  how  indifferent  they  are  as 
regards  the  skilfulness  of  the  hands,  and  superiority 
of  the  minds,  that  are  entrusted  with  the  education  of 
the  immortal  souls  of  those  children  whom  God  has 
entrusted  to  them. 


PARENT  AND  CHILD. 


2 7 


Interest  the  child  in  all  that  he  sees  about  him — 
the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun;  the  coming  and 
eoinsf  of  the  moon  and  stars,  and  various  other  of  the 
common  phenomena  of  the  heavens.  Talk  to  him  of 
the  falling  rain;  the  exquisite  and  perfectly  formed 
crystals  of  snow;  the  gathering  of  dew  and  frost,  and 
the  formation  of  ice.  Not  scientifically  of  course — 
that  is  not  needed;  but  simply  and  naturally.  If  he 
can  be  interested  in  all  of  this — and  there  are  few 
children  who  cannot  be  in  a greater  or  less  degree — 
what  a world  of  thought  is  opened  before  him!  Or,  if 
his  ideas  are  more  confined  to  earth,  the  very  ground 
upon  which  he  treads  is  full  of  instruction.  Even  the 
rocks  and  the  stones  are  replete  with  interest.  The 
murmuring  of  the  waters,  the  hum  of  insects,  the  song 
of  birds — all  will  be  full  of  delight  and  interest  to  him 
when  he  has  once  learned  to  listen  and  observe.  And, 
as  a love  for  these  things  takes  possession  of  his 
heart,  evil  loves  and  desires  will  be  crowded  out. 
Once  awaken  an  interest  in  insect  and  bird,  and  the 
propensity  which  so  many  evince  to  hurt  and  to  kill 
will  no  more  be  found.  Such  a child  will  be  gentle, 
tender,  benevolent.  It  cannot  be  otherwise.  And 
one  can  easily  imagine  what  the  future  man  or  woman 
will  be;  for  “children  are  but  grown  persons  in  min- 
iature.” 

From  these  things  pass  on  to  others.  Speak  to  the 
child  of  trees  and  flowers;  of  everything,  in  short, 
which  God  has  planted  to  make  our  earth  beautiful 
and  good.  There  are  lessons  enough  to  be  drawn 
from  all.  With  the  flower  direct  his  attention  to  the 


28 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


form,  color  and  growth;  with  the  tree  to  its  beauty, 
strength,  and  uses.  Teach  him  to  listen  to  the  music 
of  the  winds  sighing  and  moaning  through  them.  This 
will  touch  a plaintive  chord  in  his  heart,  which  always 
elevates  and  refines.  Show  him  the  grace  and  sym- 
metry of  a forest  in  quiet;  its  strength  and  grandeur 
in  a storm  ; teaching  him  that  God  rules  and  reigns 
in  all. 

The  joys  of  parents  are  secret,  and  so  are  their 
griefs  and  fears;  they  cannot  utter  the  one,  nor  will 
they  utter  the  other.  Children  sweeten  labors,  but 
they  make  misfortunes  more  bitter;  they  increase  the 
cares  of  life,  but  they  mitigate  the  remembrance  of 
death.  The  perpetuity  by  generation  is  common  to 
beasts;  but  memory,  merit,  and  noble  works,  are 
proper  to  men — and  surely  a man  shall  see  the 
noblest  works  and  foundations  have  proceeded  from 
childless  men,  which  have  sought  to  express  the 
images  of  their  minds  where  those  of  their  bodies 
have  failed — so  the  care  of  posterity  is  most  in  them 
that  have  no  posterity.  They  that  are  the  first  rais- 
ers of  their  houses  are  most  indulgent  towards  their 
children,  beholding  them  as  the  continuance,  not  only 
of  their  kind,  but  of  their  work;  and  so  both  children 
and  creatures. 

“Fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath,  lest 
they  be  discouraged.”  If  the  life  of  a child  be  embit- 
tered, the  result  is  shyness  and  secret  aversion.  Even 
a child  feels  itself  wronged,  and  a sense  of  bitterness 
is  implanted  in  its  heart.  We  can  never  think  with- 
out pity  of  the  parent  who  lost  a promising  son  by 


FILIAL  LOVE. 


29 


death,  and  was  haunted  through  life  by  his  parental 
severity.  “My  boy,”  he  said  to  a friend,  “used  to 
think  me  cruel,  and  he  had  too  much  reason  to  do  so; 
but  he  did  not  know  how  I loved  him  at  .the  bottom  of 
my  heart;  and  now  it  is  too  late!" 


Filial  Lcoye. 

There  is  not  on  earth  a more  lovely  sight  than  the 
unwearied  care  and  attention  of  children  to  their  par- 
ents. Where  filial  love  is  found  in  the  heart  we  will 
answer  for  all  the  other  virtues.  No  young  man  or 
woman  will  turn  out  basely,  we  sincerely  believe,  who 
has  parents  respected  and  beloved.  A child,  affection- 
ate and  dutiful,  will  never  bring  the  gray  hairs  of  its  par- 
ents to  the  grave.  The  wretch  who  breaks  forth  from 
wholesome  restraint  and  disregards  the  laws  of  his 
country  must  have  first  disobeyed  his  parents,  showing 
neither  love  nor  respect  for  them.  It  is  seldom  the  case 
that  a dutiful  son  is  found  in  the  ranks  of  vice  among 
the  wretched  and  degraded.  Filial  love  will  keep  men 
from  sin  and  crime.  There  never  will  come  a time 
while  your  parents  live  when  you  will  not  be  under 
obligations  to  them.  The  older  they  grow  the  more 
need  will  there  be  for  your  assiduous  care  and  atten- 
tion to  their  wants.  The  venerable  brow  and  frosty 
hair  speak  loudly  to  the  love  and  compassion  of  the 
child.  If  sickness  and  infirmity  make  them  at  times 
fretful,  bear  with  them  patiently,  not  forgetting  that 


30 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


time  ere  long  may  bring  you  to  need  the  same  atten- 
tion. Filial  love  will  never  go  unrewarded. 

A friend  of  mine  said  to  me  yesterday,  “All  the 
money  you  ever  handled  couldn’t  buy  that  piece  of 
paper.”  With  that  he  handed  a manifold  soiled  scrap 
on  which  at  first  I could  see  nothing.  At  length  I 
deciphered  in  rude,  disjointed  letters  the  two  words, 
“Dear  Papa.”  He  had  discovered  it  in  the  play-house 
of  his  little  daughter,  who  died  only  a few  days  ago. 
Sometime,  when,  in  the  midst  of  her  play,  her  little 
heart  had  turned  toward  him  she  had  scrawled  these 
two  words — and  then,  having  borne  testimony  of  her 
love,  she  had  thrown  the  paper  away. 

A remarkable  case  of  filial  love  was  that  of  a boy, 
confined  in  the  Kansas  penitentiary,  who  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  pleaded  guilty  to  the  crime  of  murder  for  the 
purpose  of  shielding  his  father,  who  was  the  guilty 
one.  Not  until  after  the  death  of  his  father  was  it 
found  that  he  was  innocent. 

Most  boys  who  become  successful  men  are  thought- 
ful for  their  mothers.  A Montreal  millionaire,  Harri- 
son Stephens,  Esq.,  has  recently  died,  who  engaged, 
when  seventeen  years  old,  with  an  elder  brother  and  a 
companion  to  build  twenty  rods  of  the  Champlain 
Canal.  At  the  end  of  a week  the  others  threw  up  the 
job  in  discouragement,  but  Harrison  persevered  and 
in  due  time  received  seventy-five  dollars.  With  a part 
of  these  first  earnings  he  stepped  into  a store  on  his 
way  home  and  bought  his  mother  a dress.  He  finally 
became  a large  importer  and  trader  in  Montreal,  but, 
so  long  as  they  lived  his  parents  received  from  him 


FILIAL  LOVE. 


31 

every  attention.  No  boy  or  girl  can  become  truly 
great  who  neglects  the  comfort  of  father  and  mother. 

“I’m  afraid  you  will  have  none  left  for  yourself,” 
we  heard  a little  lad  say  to  his  mother,  as  she  helped 
him  for  the  second  time  to  toast.  And  the  words  were 
like  music  dreamed  of.  Why  do  not  the  children  think 
oftener  of  mother,  so  that  our  hearts  will  become  ac- 
customed to  their  doing  so,  and  we  no  longer  thrill 
with  strange  sensations  whenever  we  meet  with  a cir- 
cumstance  like  the  above.  Surely  they  would,  did 
they  more  fully  realize  what  a heaven  they  would  thus 
convert  this  chill  world  into. 

Home  love  is  the  best  love.  The  love  that  you  are 
born  to  is  the  sweetest  you  will  have  on  earth.  You, 
who  are  so  anxious  to  escape  from  the  home-nest, 
pause  a moment  and  remember  this  is  so.  Never 
again,  after  strangers  have  broken  the  beautiful  bond, 
will  there  be  anything  so  sweet  as  the  little  circle  of 
mother,  father  and  children,  where  you  are  cherished, 
protected,  praised,  and  kept  from  harm.  You  may 
not  know  it  now,  but  you  will  know  it  some  day. 

The  three  sons  of  an  Eastern  queen  tried  to  show 
their  love  for  their  mother  by  gifts  laid  upon  her  grave. 
The  spectators  most  applauded  one  who  made  a liba- 
tion of  his  own  blood.  But  how  much  more  noble  and 
truly  great  is  that  son  who  so  lives  and  loves  his 
mother  that  after  death  he  may  have  no  cause  for 
remorse,  and  she  may  carry  into  the  spirit  world  treas- 
ures beyond  estimation,  jewels  of  love  that  her  son 
gave  her. 

The  story  of  what  you  have  done,  or  what  you 
« 


32 


WELL-SPRIN GS  OF  TRUTH. 


have  written,  of  the  influence  you  have  exerted,  has- 
gone  back  to  the  old  homestead — for  there  is  some 
one  always  ready  to  carry  good  tidings — and  that 
story  makes  the  needle  in  the  old  mother’s  tremulous 
hand  fly  quicker,  and  the  flail  in  the  father’s  hand 
come  down  upon  the  barn  floor  with  a vigorous 
thump.  Parents  love  to  hear  good  news  from  their 
children.  Do  you  send  them  good  news  always  ? 

Look  out  for  the  young  man  who  speaks  of  his 
father  as  “the  governor,”  “the  squire”  or  the  “old 
chap.”  Look  out  for  the  young  woman  who  calls  her 
mother  her  “maternal  ancestor”  or  the  “old  woman.” 
“The  eye  that  mocketh  at  his  father,  and  refuseth  to 
obey  his  mother,  the  ravens  of  the  valley  shall  pick  it 
out,  and  the  young  eagles  shall  eat  it.” 

God  grant  that  all  these  parents  may  have  the 
great  satisfaction  of  seeing  their  children  grow  up 
Christians.  But  O ! the  pang  of  that  mother  who,  af- 
ter a life  of  street-gadding  and  gossip-retailing,  hang- 
ing on  the  children  the  fripperies  and  follies  of  this 
world,  sees  those  children  tossed  out  on  the  sea  of  life 
like  foam  on  the  wave,  or  nonenties  in  a world  where 
only  bravery  and  stalwart  character  can  stand  the 
shock!  But  blessed  be  the  mother  who  looks  upon  her 
children  as  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty. 

On  one  occasion  a father  found  it  necessary  to 
punish  his  little  daughter.  But  Mary  climbed  up  into 
his  lap,  and,  throwing  her  arms  around  his  neck,  said : 
“Papa,  I do  love  you.”  “Why  do  you  love  me,  my 
child?”  the  father  asked.  “Because  you  try  to  make 
me  good,  papa.” 


PARENTS'  DUTY. 


33 


Filial  affection  is  the  corner-stone  of  good  morals 
and  the  most  essential  element  of  order  and  discipline 
in  the  state.  Even  in  the  republics  of  antiquity  the 
rulers  were  styled  fathers.  The  very  name  “father” 
is  itself  a law  of  justice  and  imposes  the  highest  obli- 
gations. 

— — 

©HE  ©ARENAS’  DUWY. 

Let  it  be  insisted  on  with  all  possible  emphasis 
that  parenthood  is  fatherhood  and  motherhood.  In 
this  complicated  yet  simple  relation  the  Bible  and  Na- 
ture alike  make  the  father  the  responsible  head,  and 
yet  in  no  sense  is  he  more  essential  to  the  perfection 
of  family  life  than  the  mother.  Whatever  duties, 
therefore,  we  shall  find  enjoined  in  the  Word  of  God 
upon  the  father  in  the  instruction  and  discipline  of  his 
children,  these  are  the  mother’s  duties  also. 

The  parent  holds  a mystic  key  that  no  other  hand 
can  fit  to  the  wards  of  its  locks.  If  the  parent  does 
not  do  his  work,  it  is  forever  undone.  So  left  un- 
done, the  parent  is  guilty  and  the  child  wronged,  and 
wronged  irreparably. 

It  is  a pitiful  and  shameful  sight  to  see  a father  so 
swallowed  up  by  love  of  money,  so  consumed  by  am- 
bition, that  he  has  no  time  to  teach  his  children  the 
ways  of  wisdom  and  life. 

The  mere  enforcement  of  good  conduct  is  not 
enough ; the  mere  inculcation  of  sound  principle  is 

not  enough.  If  we  would  truly  “bring  up  our  chil- 
3 


34 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


dren  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,”  it  is 
not  enough  that  we  simply  teach  them  what  is  right. 
True  knowing,  true  doing,  and  true  being,  involve 
each  other.  They  go  together,  and  cannot,  without 
disappointment  and  defeat,  be  separated. 

The  following  are  worthy  of  being  printed  in  let- 
ters of  gold  and  placed  in  a conspicuous  position  in 
every  household : 

From  your  children’s  early  infancy  inculcate  the 
necessity  of  instant  obedience.  Unite  firmness  with 
gentleness.  Let  your  children  always  understand  that 
you  mean  exactly  what  you  say.  Never  promise  them 
anything  unless  you  are  sure  you  can  give  them  what 
you  promise.  If  you  tell  a child  to  do  anything,  show 
him  how  to  do  it,  and  see  that  it  is  done.  Always 
punish  your  children  for  wilfully  disobeying  you,  but 
never  punish  them  when  you  are  angry.  Never  let 
them  perceive  that  they  can  vex  you  or  make  you  lose 
your  self-command. 

Never  smile  at  any  of  their  actions  of  which  you 
do  not  approve,  even  though  they  are  somewhat 
amusing.  If  they  give  way  to  petulance  and  temper, 
wait  till  they  are  calm,  and  then  gently  reason  with 
them  on  the  impropriety  of  their  conduct.  Remember 
that  a little  present  punishment,  when  the  occasion 
arises,  is  much  more  effectual  than  the  threatening  of 
a greater  punishment  should  the  fault  be  renewed. 
Never  give  your  children  anything  because  they  cry 
for  it.  On  no  account  allow  them  to  do  at  one  time 
what  you  have  forbidden,  under  the  same  circum- 
stances, at  another. 


parents’  duty. 


35 


Teach  them  that  the  only  sure  and  easy  way  to 
appear  good  is  to  be  good.  Accustom  them  to  make 
their  little  recitals  the  perfect  truth,  and  never  allow 
tale-bearing.  Teach  them  that  self-denial,  not  self- 
indulgence,  is  the  appointed  and  sure  method  of  se- 
curing happiness.  Above  all  things,  instruct  them 
from  the  word  of  God,  taking  Jesus  for  their  example 
in  patience,  meekness  and  love ; teaching  them  to 
pray  morning  and  evening,  and  during  the  day  once 
or  oftener,  as  they  grow  up,  as  the  only  preservative 
against  error,  weakness  and  sin. 

The  sacred  books  of  the  ancient  Persians  say:  If 

you  would  be  holy,  instruct  your  children,  because  all 
the  good  acts  they  perform  will  be  imputed  to  you. 

Words  and  examples  always  come  back  to  the 
young,  and  influence  them  for  good  as  well  as  for  evil. 
For  nothing — not  even  a word  or  example — is  ever 
forgotten  or  lost.  We  cannot  commit  a wrong  with- 
out a punishment  following  close  at  its  heels.  When  we 
break  a law  of  eternal  justice,  it  echoes  throughout 
the  world.  Words  and  deeds  may  be  considered 
slight  things ; yet  they  are  not  temporary,  they  are 
eternal.  An  idle  or  a bad  word  never  dies.  It  may 
come  up  against  us  in  the  future — twenty  years,  a 
hundred  years  hence — long  after  we  are  dead.  “ Every 
idle  word,”  says  the  Master,  “that  men  shall  speak, 
they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment; for  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by 
thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemned.” 

Evil  deeds  and  evil  examples  have  the  same  resur- 
rection. They  never  die,  but  influence  all  time.  They 


36  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

descend  like  an  inheritance.  The  memory  of  a life 
does  not  perish  with  the  life  itself.  What  is  done  re- 
mains, and  can  never  be  undone.  Thomas  of  Mal- 
mesbury said,  “ There  is  no  action  of  a man  in  this 
life  which  is  not  the  beginning  of  so  long  a chain  of 
consequences  as  that  no  human  providence  is  high 
enough  to  give  us  a prospect  to  the  end.”  “ Every 
atom,”  says  Babbage,  “ impressed  with  good  or  ill,  re- 
tains at  once  the  motions  which  philosophers  and 
sages  have  imparted  to  it,  mixed  and  combined  in  ten 
thousand  ways  with  all  that  is  worthless  and  base. 
The  air  itself  is  one  vast  library,  on  whose  pages  are 
written  forever  all  that  man  has  ever  said,  or  whispered, 
or  done.” 

We  often  think  when  we  hear  of  parents  beating 
their  children,  that  they  should  rather  be  inflicting  the 
punishment  on  themselves.  They  have  been  the 
means  of  bringing  into  being  the  inheritors  of  their 
own  moral  nature.  The  child  does  not  make  his  own 
temper,  nor  has  any  control,  while  a child,  over  its 
direction.  If  the  parents  have  conferred  an  irritable 
temper  on  the  child,  it  is  a duty  on  their  part  to  exer- 
cise self-control,  forbearance  and  patience,  so  that  the 
influence  of  daily  life  may,  in  the  course  of  time,  cor- 
rect and  modify  the  defects  of  its  birth. 

But  “the  child’s  will  must  be  broken!”  There  is 
no  greater  fallacy  than  this.  Will  forms  the  founda- 
tion of  character.  Without  strength  of  will  there  will 
be  no  strength  of  purpose.  What  is  necessary,  is  not 
to  break  the  child’s  will,  but  to  educate  it  in  proper 
directions ; and  this  is  not  to  be  done  through  the 


PARENTS’  DUTY. 


37 


agency  of  force  or  fear.  A thousand  instances  might 
be  cited  in  proof  of  this  statement. 

When  the  parent  or  teacher  relies  chiefly  upon  pain 
for  controlling  the  child’s  will,  the  child  insensibly 
associates  duty  and  obedience  with  fear  and  terror. 
And  when  you  have  thus  associated  command  over  the 
will  of  others  with  pain,  you  have  done  all  that  you 
could  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a bad  character — a 
bad  son,  a bad  husband,  a bad  father,  a bad  neighbor, 
and  a bad  citizen.  Parents  may  not  think  of  this  when 
they  are  beating  into  their  children  their  own  faults  ; 
but  it  is  true  nevertheless.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
the  command  over  the  wills  of  others  by  pain  leads  by 
degrees  to  all  the  several  stages  of  irritation,  injustice, 
cruelty,  oppression,  and  tyranny. 

Every  mother  must  be  in  degree  a sort  of  Hannah. 
She  may  bring  her  son  his  little  coat — she  may  come 
up  to  see  him  yearly  in  the  Temple ; but  with  all  that 
she  must  give  him  to  God.  To  give  our  children  up 
to  God,  to  end  with  a training  totally  different  from 
that  with  which  we  began,  to  be  obliged  to  recognize 
our  own  powerlessness,  and  learn  to  sit  still  with 
folded  hands,  resigning  them  and  their  fortunes  into 
their  own  hands — or  rather  into  higher  hands  than 
either  theirs  or  ours — this  is  no  easy  lesson  for  parents. 

A little  girl  of  six — whose  only  idea  of  death  was 
of  “going  up  into  the  sky,”  and  being  made  perfectly 
happy  and  lovely  and  good — after  being  taken  to  see 
an  old  woman  of  ninety-nine,  said,  “ Oh,  mamma, 
please  don’t  live  to  be  ninety-nine.  You’ll  be  so  ugly!” 

Alas,  there  comes  a time  when  we  know  we  must 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


38 

be  “ugly,”  more  or  less  ; physically,  and  perhaps  mor- 
ally, too;  when  the  worn-out  body  will  not  respond  to 
the  mind,  or,  may  be,  even  the  mind  is  wearing  out,  so 
that  by  no  possibility  can  we  give  pleasure,  and  may 
give  much  pain,  even  to  our  best  beloved. 

This  is  a hard  time  ; nor  is  it  wonderful  that  par- 
ents and  children  sometimes  succumb  to  it,  and  the 
relation  once  so  sweet  and  easy  becomes  a heavy 
burden.  But  there  are  parents  who  make  it  much 
heavier  than  it  need  to  be  by  their  extreme  selfishness, 
their  utter  want  of  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the 
most  duteous  child  that  ever  was  born  cannot  live 
forever  in  a sick  room  or  beside  an  arm  chair.  The 
younger  life  has  to  last  long  after  the  elder  one  is 
ended. 

A parent,  unlike  a poet,  is  not  born — he  is  made. 
There  are  certain  things  which  he  has  at  once  to  learn„ 
or  he  will  have  no  more  influence  over  his  child  than 
if  he  were  a common  stranger.  First,  he  must  insti- 
tute  between  himself  and  his  child  that  which  is  as  im- 
portant between  child  and  parent  as  between  man  and 
God — the  sense,  not  of  absolute  obedience,  as  it  is  so 
often  preached,  but  of  absolute  reliance,  which  pro- 
duces obedience.  To  gain  obedience,  you  must  first 
set  yourself  to  deserve  it.  Whatever  you  ^promise 
your  little  one,  however  small  the  thing  may  seem  to 
you,  and  whatever  trouble  it  costs  you,  perform  it. 
Never  let  the  doubt  once  enter  that  innocent  mind 
that  you  say  what  you  do  not  mean,  or  will  not  act  up 
to  what  you  say.  Make  as  few  prohibitory  laws  as 
you  possibly  can,  but,  once  made,  keep  to  them.  In 


THE  TRUE  HOME. 


39 


what  is  granted,  as  in  what  is  denied,  compel  yourself, 
however  weary  or  worried  or  impatient,  to  administer 
always  evenhanded  justice.  “Just  laws,  impartially  ad- 
ministered,” is  a system  much  more  likely  to  secure 
your  child’s  real  affection  than  all  the  petting  and  hu- 
moring so  generally  indulged  in  to  give  pleasure  or 
save  trouble,  not  to  your  little  ones,  but  to  yourself 


©HE  ©I^UE  Y) OMB. 

The  place  of  training  for  the  young  is  pre-emi- 
nently the  home.  It  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  family 
that  those  impressions  are  made,  and  that  culture 
bestowed,  which,  more  than  anything  else,  determine, 
under  God,  the  character  of  the  soul  for  time  and 
eternity. 

Home  is  the  sacred  refuge  of  our  life.  Mrs.  Wil- 
ling says,  incivilities  in  the  home  are  like  sand  in  the 
eyes  and  gravel  in  the  shoes.  No  wonder  they  who 
have  only  sour  looks  and  cross  words,  when  they 
ought  to  receive  loving  sympathy  and  care,  are  easily 
lured  to  destruction. 

Out  from  under  flaming  chandeliers,  and  off  from 
imported  carpets,  and  down  the  granite  stairs,  there 
has  come  a great  crowd  of  children  in  this  day,  un- 
trained, saucy,  incompetent  for  all  practical  duties  of 
life,  ready  to  be  caught  in  the  first  whirl  of  crime  and 
sensuality.  Indolent  and  unfaithful  mothers  will  make 
indolent  and  unfaithful  children. 


40 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Many  a child  goes  astray,  not  because  there  is  a 
want  at  home,  but  simply  because  home  lacks  sun- 
shine. A child  needs  smiles  as  much  as  the  flowers 
need  sunbeams.  Children  look  little  beyond  the  pres- 
ent moment.  If  a thing  pleases,  they  are  apt  to  seek 
it ; if  it  displeases,  they  are  apt  to  avoid  it.  If  home 
is  a place  where  faces  are  sour  and  words  harsh,  and 
fault-finding  is  ever  on  the  ascendant,  they  will  spend 
as  many  hours  as  possible  elsewhere.  “That  home  is 
unworthy  of  the  name  where  a child  dare  not  utter  a 
fond  or  even  a foolish  wish.  God  will  never  refuse 
our  human  lips  the  right  of  utterance.” 

Don’t  live  in  the  back  end  of  your  house.  The 
boys  will  prefer  the  saloon  to  the  kitchen.  Don’t  be 
afraid  of  the  coal  bill  or  wood  pile.  It  is  cheaper  to 
have  a warm  parlor  than  to  pay  liquor  bills.  Put  books 
and  papers  on  your  tables  instead  of  wine  or  cider. 
Clear  brains  will  honor  the  family  record  more  than 
drunkards.  Marry  into  the  Cheeryble  family  and  keep 
clear  of  Grumblers.  Pull  the  latch-string  in  for  gos- 
sips, and  hang  it  out  for  the  poor,  that  yours  may  be 
a house  of  mercy.  In  a dying  world  don’t  spend  too 
much  time  on  ruffles  and  killing  flies. 

Your  children’s  bodies  are  of  more  value  than  fine 
clothes,  lace  curtains,  or  Brussels  carpets,  and  their 
minds  and  souls  are  of  eternal  worth.  Don’t  starve 
to-day,  to  riot  to-morrow ; don’t  hoard  and  scrimp  for 
years  that  you  may  be  generous  in  your  graves.  Be 
your  own  almoner,  and  see  your  children’s  happiness 
while  they  are  still  under  the  parent  roof.  Better 
have  a Sunday  home-service  of  praise  than  break 


THE  TRUE  HOME. 


41 


your  own  and  your  neighbors’  Sabbath  by  visiting  and 
dining  that  day. 

Nobody  must  be  morally  the  worse  for  living  under 
our  roof,  if  we  can  possibly  help  it.  It  is  the  minimum 
of  our  duties  to  make  sure  that  the  temptations  to 
misconduct  or  intemperance  are  not  left  in  any  one’s 
way,  or  bad  feelings  suffered  to  grow  up,  or  habits  of 
moroseness  or  domineering  formed,  or  quarrels  kept 
hot  as  if  they  were  toast  before  the  kitchen  fire.  As 
much  as  possible,  on  the  contrary,  everybody  must  be 
helped  to  be  better ; not  made  better  by  act  of  the 
drawing-room,  remember;  that  is  impossible,  but  helped 
to  be  better.  The  way  to  do  this  is  not  to  scold  or 
exhort,  but  rather  to  spread  through  the  house  such  an 
atmosphere  of  frank  confidence  and  kindliness  with  ser- 
vants, and  of  love  and  trust  with  children  and  relations, 
that  bad  feeling  and  doings  will  really  have  no  place, 
no  temptation,  and  if  they  intrude,  will  soon  die  out. 

Good  humor  is  rightly  reckoned  a most  valuable  aid 
to  happy  home  life.  An  equally  good  and  useful 
faculty  is  a sense  of  humor,  or  the  capacity  to  have  a 
little  amusement  along  with  the  humdrum  cares  and 
work  of  life.  We  all  know  how  it  brightens  up  things 
generally  to  have  a lively,  witty  companion,  who  sees 
the  ridiculous  points  of  things,  and  who  can  turn  an 
annoyance  into  an  occasion  for  laughter.  It  does  a 
great  deal  better  to  laugh  over  some  domestic  mishaps 
than  to  cry  or  scold  over  them.  It  is  well  to  turn  off 
an  impatient  question  sometimes,  and  to  regard  it  from 
a humorous  point  of  view,  instead  of  becoming  irri- 
tated about  it. 


42 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


“Wife,  what  is  the  reason  I can  never  find  a clean 
shirt?”  exclaimed  a good  but  rather  impatient  hus- 
band, after  rummaging  all  through  the  wrong  drawer. 
His  wife  looked  at  him  steadily  for  a moment,  half 
inclined  to  be  provoked,  then  with  a comical  look  she 
said,  “I  never  could  guess  conundrums;  I give  it  up.” 
Then  he  laughed,  and  they  both  laughed,  and  she  went 
and  got  his  shirt,  and  he  felt  ashamed  of  himself  and 
kissed  her,  and  then  she  felt  happy;  and  so  what  might 
have  been  an  occasion  for  unkind  feelings  and  hard 
words  became  just  the  contrary,  all  through  the  little 
vein  of  humor  that  cropped  out  to  the  surface. 

Surely  since  the  wreck  of  Eden  there  has  appeared 
among  the  children  of  men  no  picture  so  fair,  so  noble, 
so  inspiring  and  so  full  of  hope  for  both  worlds,  as  a 
well-ordered  and  truly  Christian  family.  Here  indeed 
are  repeated,  from  day  to  day,  the  miracles  of  Provi- 
dence and  the  wonders  of  grace. 

Though  it  may  not  be  always  easy  to  clearly  define 
what  constitutes  a home,  there  is  no  difficulty  at  all  in 
discovering  what  does  not.  A fine  house,  with  all  the 
most  modern  improvements,  well-fitting  doors  and 
windows,  smokeless  chimneys,  dry  walls,  convenient 
water  supply,  excellent  drainage,  a perfect  immunity 
from  draughts  and  insect  life,  good  servants,  and  good 
tradesmen  in  our  immediate  vicinity,  go  far  to  consti- 
tute a comfortable  residence;  while  tasteful  furniture, 
rare  pictures,  beautiful  ornaments,  and  a good  collec- 
tion of  good  books,  add  still  greater ' charms  ; yet  all 
these,  and  a thousand  other  attractions  pleasant  to  the 
eye  and  very  conducive  to  physical  comfort,  would 


THE  TRUE  HOME. 


43 


never  constitute  a really  happy  home,  without  two 
other  grand  qualities — qualities  like,  yet  unlike;  inde- 
pendent, yet  each  to  a great  extent  dependent  on  the 
other  for  its  usefulness ; each  insufficient  of  itself  to 
do  all;  each  beautiful,  but  doubly  so  when  allied;  each 
within  the  reach  of  the  humblest  as  well  as  the  high- 
est— more  lovely,  as  well  as  more  useful,  in  the  cottage 
than  in  the  palace;  each  a cornerstone  of  happiness, 
and  forming  together  the  very  foundation  of  peace — 
two  grand,  simple  qualities,  all-powerful  in  heaven  and 
on  earth — love  and  order! 

Let  any  person  who  possesses  a home  of  any  sort 
or  condition  whatever  look  round  and  observe  how 
far  it  is  governed  by  those  twin  sisters;  consider  well 
if  every  action  of  every  day  is  prompted  by  love,  and 
carried  out  by  order;  if  affection  is  the  ruling  principle, 
punctuality  the  ruling  practice  of  every-day  life. 

Some  homes  are  full  of  love  and  sunshine  for 
strangers,  and  all  ugliness  and  gloom  for  the  ones  for 
whom  they  exist.  To  constitute  a truly  happy  home 
there  should  be  pretty  little  personal  adornments  on 
the  part  of  the  wife,  who  hereby  shows  a desire  to 
please  her  husband  and  to  add  to  the  general  attractions 
of  her  home.  A pleasant  word  on  her  part,  when  the 
over-worked  man  comes  home,  often  eats  away  the 
raw  edge  of  some  trouble  on  his  mind,  and  draws  out 
a corresponding  desire  to  be  both  agreeable  and 
respectful,  which  characteristics  are  always  accom- 
panied by  affection.  If  cheerfulness  and  amiability 
are  not  cultivated,  rudeness,  roughness  and  impatience 
will  soon  be  followed  by  insolence ; and  when  sweet 


44 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


temper  gives  way  to  anger  and  discord,  the  home- 
circle  is  no  longer  attractive,  and  is  almost  certain  to 
be  shunned. 

Nothing  makes  a home  so  happy  as  the  perpetual 
sunshine  of  a contented  disposition  there.  None  of 
the  little  troubles  of  life  arrest  progress  or  pleasure  in 
that  home;  there  is  always  a rainbow  to  bridge  the 
rift.  The  sky  is  always  blue,  and  the  wind  blows  from 
the  southwest,  where  that  disposition  works  its  will; 
all  things  move  in  accordant  music  and  measure  where 
the  happy  nature’s  voice  gives  the  dominant  key.  A 
person  with  the  temperament  which  creates  this  for- 
tunate disposition,  or  gives  it  full  play,  is  not  only  a 
blessing  to  himself  or  herself,  but  to  all  society  as  well ; 
everything  is  more  gentle  and  direct  in  movement,  all 
wheels  and  ways  run  more  smoothly,  for  the  treatment 
of  such  individuals,  and  their  own  habit  of  always 
looking  on  the.  sunny  side  obliges  people  in  their 
immediate  neighborhood  also  to  see  the  silver  linincr 
of  the  cloud  in  spite  of  themselves. 

What  such  happy  people  are  to  those  about  them 
requires  personal  experience  of  them  to  know  to 
the  full  extent,  for  words  would  completely  fail  to  tell; 
they  are  the  consolers  of  trouble,  the  spurs  to  en- 
deavor, the  sympathizers  in  joy,  the  beguilers  of 
tedium.  With  their  own  buoyancy  they  bear  every- 
one's burdens,  with  their  sunshine  they  banish  every- 
one’s shadow,  their  own  inner  and  almost  inexhausti- 
ble happiness  overflows  on  all  within  reach,  and  they 
know  how  to  turn  Pandemonium  into  Paradise. 

It  is  not  wealth,  but  taste,  that  can  make  a home 


THE  TRUE  HOME. 


45 


truly  beautiful.  A lady  of  refined  instinct  and  train- 
ing, by  means  of  a few  cheap,  but  of  their  kind  good, 
pictures,  book  engravings,  or  cartoons,  and  such  like, 
a bundle  of  strips  and  straws,  some  pretty  Japanese 
or  Chinese  decorations,  the  judicious  appliance  and 
arrangement  of  such  pretty  things  as  an  artistic  taste 
will  suggest,  will  do  more  toward  making  a little  par- 
lor charming,  homelike  and  artistic,  than  thousands  of 
dollars  spent  in  vulgar  display  and  inartistic  arrange- 
ment. 

Your  home  can  be  made  beautiful  by  a little  labor. 
A few  trees  set  out  here  and  there  to  give  their  cool- 
ing shadows  when  the  fierce  sunlight  falls.  A few 
fiowers  yonder  to  brighten  with  their  contrasting  colors 
che  green  grass  you  should  have  here.  A little  white- 
wash on  that  fence  and  barn.  All  these  cost  nothing, 
or  next  to  nothing,  and  they  vastly  add  to  the  appear- 
ance of  your  place  as  well  as  to  its  comfort.  Make 
your  homes  beautiful. 

I have  peeped  into  quiet  “parlors”  where  the 
carpet  is  clean  and  not  old,  and  the  furniture  polished 
and  bright;  into  “rooms”  where  the  chairs  are  deal 
and  the  floor  carpetless;  into  “kitchens”  where  the 
family  live,  and  the  meals  are  cooked  and  eaten,  and 
the  boys  and  girls  are  as  blithe  as  the  sparrows  in  the 
thatch  overhead;  and  I see  that  it  is  not  so  much 
wealth,  nor  learning,  nor  clothing,  nor  servants,  nor 
toil,  nor  idleness,  nor  town,  nor  country,  nor  rank,  nor 
station,  as  tone  and  temper,  that  make  life  joyous  or 
miserable,  that  render  homes  happy  or  wretched.  And 
I see,  too,  that  in  town  or  country,  God’s  grace  and 


46 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


good  sense  make  life  what  no  teachers,  or  accomplish- 
ments, or  means,  or  society,  can  make  it,  the  opening 
stave  of  an  everlasting  psalm,  the  fair  beginning  of  an 
endless  existence,  the  goodly,  modest,  well-propor- 
tioned vestibule  to  a temple  of  God’s  building,  that 
shall  never  decay,  wax  old,  or  vanish  away. 

Do  not  be  afraid  of  a little  fun  at  home,  good  peo- 
ple. Do  not  shut  up  your  houses,  lest  the  sun  should 
fade  your  carpets,  and  your  hearts,  lest  a laugh  should 
shake  down  a few  of  the  musty  old  cobwebs  that  are 
hanging  there.  Young  people  must  have  fun  and  re- 
laxation somewhere  ; if  they  do  not  find  it  at  their 
own  hearthstones,  they  will  seek  it  at  other  and  less 
profitable  places.  Therefore  let  the  fire  burn  brightly 
at  night  in  winter,  and  let  the  doors  and  windows  be 
cheerfully  thrown  open  in  summer,  and  make  the 
homestead  delightful  with  all  those  little  arts  that  par- 
ents so  well  understand.  Do  not  repress  the  buoyant 
spirits  of  your  children.  Half  an  hour’s  merriment 
within  doors,  and  merriment  of  a home,  blots  out  the 
remembrance  of  many  a care  and  annoyance  during 
the  day;  and  the  best  safeguard  that  they  can  take 
with  them  into  the  world  is  the  unseen  influence  of  the 
bright  little  home  sanctum. 

Parents,  worried  and  absorbed  with  the  business  of 
life,  too  often  make  home  unattractive  to  their  children 
by  making  them  feel  that  they  represent  simply  bur- 
dens in  the  household.  The  hearts  of  children  are 
sensitive,  and  older  ones  should  always  be  considerate 
in  their  actions  towards  them.  They  should  be  made 
to  feel  that  they  are  of  some  importance  at  home,  in 


THE  TRUE  HOME. 


47 


order  that  they  may  become  so  attached  to  it  that  it 
will  be  to  them  a safeguard  and  refuge  from  the  many 
pitfalls  that  beset  their  youthful  steps.  The  oppor- 
tunity of  parents  in  this  direction  is  of  vast  and  im- 
measurable importance,  and  if  rightly  improved  will 
more  than  repay  in  years  yet  to  come. 

The  children  of  the  home  circle,  as  they  grow  to 
years  of  accountability,  are  not  left  without  responsi- 
bility in  this  direction.  How  often  is  the  joy  and  com- 
fort of  home  blighted  by  the  unkind  and  disobedient 
acts  of  children  who  wholly  disregard  their  great  op- 
portunities for  good  and  heap  dishonor  on  their  par- 
ents. But  there  are  those  who  shed  light  and  joy 
wherever  they  go  by  their  uniformly  kind  words  and 
acts,  whose  chief  aim  it  seems  to  be  to  make  others 
happy;  and  what  centers  of  joy  they  are  in  the  home 
circle.  The  little  things  that  they  have  observed  have 
resulted  in  a grand  aggregate  of  good,  that  is  crown- 
ing their  parents  with  honor  and  making  their  own 
hearts  happier  and  better. 

One  of  the  greatest  evils  known  in  the  family  circle 
is  the  disrespect  so  frequently  shown  between  mem- 
bers, one  to  another,  in  speech,  action  and  dress.  The 
gruff  “yes  ” or  “ no  ” of  husband  to  wife,  in  answer  to 
a pleasant  query,  leads  to  unpleasant  consequences, 
and  begets  a cold,  calculating  style  of  address  on 
either  side,  which,  sooner  or  later,  is  adopted  by  the 
younger  members,  and  the  love  and  affection  which 
should  reign  within  is  dispelled  like  dew  before  the 
morning  sun.  The  indifference  often  shown  in  little  acts 
of  duty,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  performed, 


48 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


seem  to  carry  the  impression,  “I’m  glad  that’s  out  of 
the  way;  don’t  trouble  me  again.”  In  dress  and  per- 
sonal appearance  the  husband  goes  unkempt  and 
unshaven,  and  the  wife  slipshod  and  shabby.  Any- 
thing is  good  enough  for  home  when  there  are  no 
strangers  about.  Thus  are  habits  of  disrespect  formed, 
and  one  of  the  greatest  dangers  of  home  bred  and 
fostered. 

We  may  not  all  have  equal  opportunities  of  doing 
good  at  home,  but  we  have  something  to  do  to  make 
that  home  happier,  and  if  we  are  doing  it  to  the  best 
of  our  ability  we  are  meeting  all  that  is  required.  If, 
in  the  daily  walk  of  life,  we  would  pay  more  atten- 
tion to  the  little  things  there  would  be  fewer  great 
things  demanding  our  consideration. 

No  unhappiness  in  life  is  equal  to  unhappiness  at 
home.  All  other  personal  miseries  can  be  better 
borne  than  the  terrible  misfortune  of  domestic  disun- 
ion, and  none  so  completely  demoralizes  the  nature. 
The  anguish  of  disease  itself  is  modified,  ameliorated, 
even  rendered  blessed,  by  the  tender  touch,  the  dear 
presence  of  the  sympathetic  beloved;  and  loss  of  for- 
tune is  not  loss  of  happiness  where  family  love  is  left. 
But  the  want  of  that  love  is  not  supplied  by  anything. 
Health,  fortune,  success,  nothing  has  its  full  savor 
when  the  home  is  unhappy  ; and  the  greatest  triumphs 
out-of-doors  are  of  no  avail  to  cheer  the  sinking  heart 
when  the  misery  within  has  to  be  encountered. 

Our  homes  are  like  instruments  of  music.  The 
strings  that  give  melody  or  discord  are  the  members. 


THE  MOTHER’S  HAND. 


49 


If  each  is  rightly  attuned  they  will  all  vibrate  in  har- 
mony ; but  a single  discordant  string  jars  through  the 
instrument  and  destroys  its  sweetness. 


©HE  ©OTHERS  F^AND. 

There  are  no  persons  in  a community  who  need 
to  be  so  wise  and  well-informed  as  mothers. 

O ! this  work  of  culture  in  children  for  this  world 
and  the  next ! This  child  is  timid,  and  it  must  be 
roused  up  and  pushed  out  into  activity.  This  child  is 
forward,  and  he  must  be  held  back  and  tamed  down 
into  modesty  and  politeness.  Rewards  for  one,  pun- 
ishments for  another.  That  which  will  make  George 
will  ruin  John.  The  rod  is  necessary  in  one  case, 
while  a frown  of  displeasure  is  more  than  enough  in 
another.  Whipping  and  a dark  closet  do  not  exhaust 
all  the  rounds  of  domestic  discipline.  There  have 
been  children  who  have  grown  up  and  gone  to  glory 
without  ever  having  had  their  ears  boxed. 

O ! how  much  care  and  intelligence  are  necessary 
in  the  rearing  of  children  ! But  in  this  day,  when  there 
are  so  many  books  on  the  subject,  no  parent  is  excus- 
able in  being  igmorant  of  the  best  mode  of  brinoinsf 
up  a child.  If  parents  knew  more  of  dietetics  there 
would  not  be  so  many  dyspeptic  stomachs,  weak 
nerves  and  inactive  livers  among  children.  If  parents 
knew  more  of  physiology  there  would  not  be  so  many 
curved  spines,  and  cramped  chests,  and  inflamed 


50 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


throats,  and  diseased  lungs,  as  there  are  among  chil- 
dren. If  parents  knew  more  of  art,  and  were  in  sym- 
pathy with  all  that  is  beautiful,  there  would  not  be  so 
many  children  coming  out  in  the  world  with  boorish 
proclivities.  If  parents  knew  more  of  Christ,  and 
practiced  more  of  his  religion,  there  would  not  be  so 
many  little  feet  already  starting  on  the  wrong  road, 
and  all  around  us  voices  of  riot  and  blasphemy  would 
not  come  up  with  such  ecstasy  of  infernal  triumph. 

Every  mother  gets  full  pay  for  all  the  prayers  and 
tears  in  behalf  of  her  children.  That  man  useful  in 
commercial  life  ; that  man  prominent  in  a profession  ; 
that  master  mechanic — why,  every  step  he  takes  in 
life  has  an  echo  of  gladness  in  the  old  heart  that  long 
ago  taught  him  to  be  a Christian,  and  heroic  and  ear- 
nest. 

Now,  while  I congratulate  all  Christian  mothers 
upon  the  wealth  and  the  modern  science  which  may 
afford  them  all  kinds  of  help,  let  me  say  that  every 
mother  ought  to  be  observant  of  her  children’s  walk, 
her  children’s  behavior,  her  children’s  food,  her  chil- 
dren’s looks,  her  children’s  companionships. 

One  hundred  and  twenty  clergymen  were  together, 
and  they  were  telling  their  experience  and  their  an- 
cestry ; and  of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  clergy- 
men how  many  of  them,  do  you  suppose,  assigned  as 
the  means  of  their  conversion  the  influence  of  a Chris- 
tian mother  ? One  hundred  out  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty ! Philip  Doddridge  was  brought  to  God  by 
the  Scripture  lesson  on  the  Dutch  tile  of  a chimney 
fireplace.  The  mother  thinks  she  is  only  rocking  a 


THE  MOTHER’S  HAND. 


51 


child,  but  at  the  same  time  she  may  be  rocking  the 
fate  of  nations,  rocking  the  glories  of  heaven.  The 
same  maternal  power  that  may  lift  the  child  up  may 
press  a child  down. 

At  home  the  mother  is  the  center  of  attraction. 
Her  influence  for  good  or  evil  is  immeasurable.  Na- 
tions feel  its  effects.  The  good  kings  of  Israel,  such 
as  Josiah,  were  sons  of  pious,  God-fearing  mothers. 
The  bane  of  the  nation  was  in  the  nursery  of  her 
kings.  Look  into  the  biographies  of  Polycarp,  Ed- 
wards, Gregory,  Dwight,  and  thousands  of  others  who 
are  hailed  as  the  bold  defenders  of  the  truth,  and  you 
will  find  they  were,  without  exception,  the  sons  of 
pious,  faithful  mothers.  The  skeptic  has  been  brought 
to  the  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth  through  the  pre- 
vious training  and  prayers  of  a sainted  mother,  who, 
though  dead,  yet  speaketh  effectually  to  his  heart  and 
conscience.  The  nursery  of  the  family  is  the  nursery 
of  the  church.  Begin  early.  Let  her  watch  every  ex- 
pression of  the  face  before  the  lips  begin  to  speak.  I 
wish  it  were  written  on  every  mind  and  heart  by  the 
finger  of  God  that  the  minds  of  children  are  like  wax 
to  receive,  but  like  marble  to  hold,  every  impression 
made  upon  them  for  good  or  evil. 

A daughter  came  to  a worldly  mother  and  said  she 
was  anxious  about  her  sins,  and  she  had  been  praying 
all  night.  The  mother  said  : “ O,  stop  praying  ! I 

don’t  believe  in  praying.  Get  over  all  these  religious 
notions  and  I’ll  give  you  a dress  that  will  cost  $500, 
and  you  may  wear  it  next  week  to  that  party.”  The 
daughter  took  the  dress,  and  she  moved  in  the  gay 


52 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


circle,  the  gayest  of  all  the  gay,  that  night ; and  sure 
enough,  all  religious  impressions  were  gone,  and  she 
stopped  praying.  A few  months  after  she  came  to 
die,  and  in  her  closing  moments  said : “ Mother,  I 

wish  you  would  bring  me  that  dress  that  cost  $500.” 
The  mother  thought  it  a very  strange  request,  but  she 
brought  it  to  please  the  dying  child.  “Now,”  said  the 
daughter,  “ mother,  hang  that  dress  on  the  foot  of  my 
bed,”  and  the  dress  was  hung  there,  on  the  foot  of  the 
bed.  Then  the  dying  girl  got  up  on  one  elbow  and 
looked  at  her  mother,  and  then  pointed  to  the  dress, 
and  said : “ Mother,  that  dress  is  the  price  of  my 

soul !”  O,  what  a momentous  thing  it  is  to  be  a 
mother ! 

Who  are  the  industrious  men  in  all  our  occupations 
and  professions?  Who  are  they  managing  the  mer- 
chandise of  the  world,  building  the  walls,  tinning  the 
roofs,  weaving  the  carpets,  making  the  laws,  governing 
the  nations,  making  the  earth  to  quake  and  heave 
and  roar  and  rattle  with  the  tread  of  gigantic  enter- 
prises? Who  are  they?  For  the  most  part  they  de- 
scended from  industrious  mothers,  who,  in  the  old 
homestead,  used  to  spin  their  own  yarn,  and  weave 
their  own  carpets,  and  plait  their  own  door-mats,  and 
flag  their  own  chairs,  and  do  their  own  work.  The 
stalwart  men  and  the  influential  women  of  this  day, 
ninety-nine  out  of  a hundred  of  them  came  from  such 
an  illustrious  ancestry  of  hard  knuckles  and  homespun. 

And  who  are  these  people  in  society,  light  as  froth, 
blown  every  whither  of  temptation  and  fashion — the 
peddlers  of  filthy  stories,  the  dancing  jacks  of  political 


THE  MOTHER’S  HAND. 


53 


parties,  the  scum  of  society,  the  tavern-lounger,  the 
store-infesting,  the  men  of  low  wink,  and  filthy  chuckle, 
and  brass  breast  pins,  and  rotten  associations?  For 
the  most  part  they  came  from  mothers  idle  and  dis- 
gusting— the  scandal  mongers  of  society,  going  from 
house  to  house,  attending  to  everybody’s  business  but 
their  own,  believing  in  witches,  and  ghosts,  and  horse- 
shoes to  keep  the  devil  out  of  the  churn,  and  by  a 
godless  life  setting  their  children  on  the  very  verge  of 
hell.  The  mothers  of  Samuel  Johnson,  and  of  Alfred 
the  Great,  and  of  Isaac  Newton,  and  of  St.  Augustine, 
and  of  Richard  Cecil,  and  of  President  Edwards,  for 
the  most  part  were  industrious,  hard-working  mothers. 

D.  H.  Moody  once  said:  “Many  a young  man  in 
this  city  wants  a mother  more  than  he  wants  a preacher. 
It  has  been  pleasant  work  for  me  to  get  hold  of  these 
young  men.  A business  man  in  Chicago  once  intro- 
duced me  to  a young  man,  and  as  I spoke  to  him  he 
seemed  bowed  down;  he  looked  ashamed.  My  friend 
explained  his  appearance  by  telling  me  that  he  had  just 
come  from  prison.  I took  this  young  man  home  with  me 
and  introduced  him  to  my  family.  My  little  daughter 
came  forward  and  kissed  him.  He  burst  into  tears, 
and  the  child  ran  away  wondering  what  she  had  done 
to  hurt  his  feelings.  He  said,  ‘That  is  the  first  kiss  I 
have  received  since  my  mother  died.’  It  did  not  take 
long  to  reach  the  heart  of  that  young  man.  There  are 
thousands  of  young  men  in  this  city  who  are  ready  to 
be  reached  by  kindness.  Isn’t  the  church  guilty  before 
God  in  this  matter?  Isn’t  it  time  to  reach  out  after  the 
young  men  in  this  city?” 


54 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


No  language  can  express  the  power  and  beauty 
and  heroism  and  majesty  of  a mother’s  love.  It 
shrinks  not  where  man  cowers,  and  grows  stronger 
where  man  faints,  and  over  the  wastes  of  worldly  for- 
tune it  sends  the  radiance  of  its  quenchless  fidelity, 
like  a star  in  heaven. 

It  is  not  enough  by  our  continual  care  and  watch- 
fulness to  make  our  home  desirable  from  parlor  to 
kitchen,  to  dress  becomingly,  and  above  all  wear  a 
bright  and  cheerful  face.  These  must  be  done,  but  do 
not  leave  the  other  undone.  Let  us,  if  possible,  so 
simplify  our  living  that  we  may  have  time  to  devote  to 
other  subjects  than  what  we  may  eat,  drink  and  wear. 
It  is  a battle  won  for  a mother  to  be  able  to  help  a 
son,  who  looks  upon  himself  as  almost  a man,  over  a 
perplexing  problem,  or  a difficult  translation.  Her 
opinion  has  weight  ever  after.  We  must  sacrifice  our 
time  and  our  ease,  be  interested  in  what  interests 
them,  and  let  them  feel  that  they  are  part  of  the 
family  circle,  and  really  missed  when  absent  from  it. 
In  our  home  a half-hour’s  reading  with  a talk  after  is 
found  to  give  real  pleasure,  and  music  and  games  are 
always  welcomed.  It  is  a mother’s  prerogative  to  do 
all  she  can  for  the  best  interests  of  her  children. 

Every  mother  should  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  easier 
to  keep  children  well  than  it  is  to  cure  them  after  they 
become  i'll.  A few  simple  rules  faithfully  and  unflinch- 
ingly observed  would  banish  nine-tenths  of  the  sick- 
nesses among  children  that  too  often  lead  to  fatal 
results. 

Give  them  in  the  first  place  plenty  of  love — ex- 


THE  MOTHER’S  HAND. 


55 


pressions  of  love ! Oftentimes  fathers  and  mothers 
deeply  love  their  children,  yet  show  such  little  evidence 
of  affection  that  the  children  are  apt  to  have  a forlorn 
feeling  that  it  doesn’t  exist  at  all.  An  occasional  word 
of  praise,  a caress,  an  expression  of  sympathy — these 
are  as  necessary  to  health  and  happy  child-life  as  sum- 
mer showers  to  growing  vines.  Especially  bear  this 
in  mind — they  should  never  go  to  bed  cold,  or  hungry, 
or  unhappy. 

It  is  wise  for  a mother  to  take  time  to  dress,  and 
be  fair  in  her  children’s  eyes ; to  read  for  their  sake,  to 
learn  to  talk  well,  and  to  live  in  to-day.  The  circle  the 
mother  draws  around  her  is  more  wholesome  for  the 
child  than  the  one  he  has  to  make  for  himself,  and  she 
is  responsible  for  his  social  surroundings.  It  is  not 
easy  to  be  the  child’s  most  interesting  companion  and 
to  make  home  his  strongest  magnet,  but  the  mothers 
who  have  done  this  have  been  the  mothers  of  good 
men. 

Let  a woman’s  first  sweet  page  in  the  book  of  edu- 
cation be  the  eyes  of  her  child;  let  her  commune 
with  them  till  the  mute,  bright  language  of  the  eye 
becomes  familiar  and  intellisfible  to  both.  At  first  she 
will  be  unanswered ; but  when  the  quickened  spirit  of 
infancy  replies  to  her  in  a smile,  let  her  receive  it  as  a 
token.  It  is  a light  from  heaven.  It  is  then  that  her 
child  first  acknowledges  her  maternal  character : then 
is  she  spiritually  as  well  as  physically  a mother.  From 
that  brig-ht  moment  education  besfins.  Oh!  what  a 
work!  How  full  of  beauty  ! Instead  of  shunning,  who 
would  not  seek  it?  As  sympathy  strengthens  between 


56 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  child  and  mother,  she  will  soon  discover  how  infin- 
ite a power  she  may  exercise  by  means  of  that  sym- 
pathy. A saddened  look,  a sorrowful  tone,  will  prove 
a correction,  which  the  young  thing  that  loves  the  light 
of  kind  looks  and  the  gladness  of  gay  tones  will  feel 
instantly,  and  answer  to  implicitly. 

Maternal  instructions  and  exhortations,  however 
indispensable,  will  always  be  dependent  for  their  effi- 
cacy, less  upon  earnestness  or  repetition  than  upon 
the  belief  which  the  whole  character  of  the  mother  has 
impressed  upon  the  child  of  her  sincerity.  With  the 
pursuits,  the  objects,  whatever  they  may  be,  in  which 
she  manifestly  and  habitually  delights,  they  will  be  in- 
sensibly led  to  associate  excellence;  with  those  toward 
which  she  discovers  a genuine  distaste  and  hatred 
they  will  connect  evil ; and  this  independently  of  any 
exhortation  or  of  any  direct  efforts  on  her  part. 

Surely  then  it  behooves  every  mother  who  desires 
to  mold  aright  the  character  of  her  children — and 
what  mother  does  not  ? — to  see  that  she  has  herself, 
and  habitually  exhibits  before  them,  the  example  and 
character  upon  which  maternal  influence  mainly  de- 
pends ; for  without  this  she  will,  most  assuredly,  find 
herself  deficient  in  that  ascendancy  over  the  minds  of 
her  children  which,  in  the  work  of  education,  is  so 
essential  to  success. 


HOME  AND  HEALTH. 


57 


f?OME  AND  P?EAMTH. 

Health  is  certainly  more  valuable  than  money,  be- 
cause it  is  by  health  that  money  is  procured;  but 
thousands  and  millions  are  of  small  avail  to  alle- 
viate the  protracted  tortures  of  the  gout,  to  repair 
this  broken  organs  of  sense,  or  resuscitate  the  powers 
of  digestion.  Poverty  is,  indeed,  an  evil  from  which 
we  naturally  fly,  but  let  us  not  run  from  one  enemy  to 
another,  nor  take  shelter  in  the  arms  of  sickness. 

In  these  days,  half  our  diseases  come  from  the 
neglect  of  the  body  in  the  overwork  of  the  brain.  In 
this  railway  age,  the  wear  and  tear  of  labor  and  intel- 
lect go  on  without  pause  or  self-pity.  We  live  longer 
than  our  forefathers,  but  we  suffer  more  from  a thou- 
sand artificial  anxieties  and  cares.  They  fatigued 
only  the  muscles,  we  exhaust  the  finer  strength  of 
the  nerves. 

Health  is  the  soul  that  animates  all  enjoyments  of 
life,  which  fade  and  are  tasteless,  if  not  dead,  without 
it.  A man  starves  at  the  best  and  the  greatest  tables, 
makes  faces  at  the  noblest  and  most  delicate  wines,  is 
poor  and  wretched  in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  treas- 
ures and  fortunes,  with  common  diseases ; strength 
grows  decrepit,  youth  loses  all  vigor,  and  beauty  all 
charms ; music  grows  harsh,  and  conversation  dis- 
agreeable ; palaces  are  prisons,  or  of  equal  confine- 
ment ; riches  are  useless,  honor  and  attendance  are 
cumbersome,  and  crowns  themselves  are  a burden ; 


58 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


but  if  diseases  are  painful  and  violent,  they  equal  all 
conditions  of  life,  make  no  difference  between  a prince 
and  a beggar ; and  a fit  of  the  stone  or  the  colic  puts 
a king  on  the  rack,  and  makes  him  as  miserable  as  he 
can  the  meanest,  the  worst  and  most  criminal  of  his 
subjects. 

Carlyle  in  his  address  to  students  says : “ Finally, 

gentlemen,  I have  one  advice  to  give  you,  which  is 
practically  of  great  importance,  though  a very  humble 
one.  In  the  midst  of  your  zeal  and  ardor — for  such,  I 
foresee,  will  rise  high  enough  in  spite  of  all  the  coun- 
sels to  moderate  it  that  I can  give  you — remember  the 
care  of  your  health.  I have  no  doubt  you  have  among 
you  young  souls  ardently  bent  to  consider  life  cheap, 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  forward  in  what  they  are 
aiming  at;  but  you  are  to  consider  throughout  much 
more  than  is  done  at  present — and  what  would  have 
been  a very  great  thing  for  me  if  I had  been  able  to 
consider  it — that  health  is  a thing  to  be  attended  to 
continually ; that  you  are  to  regard  it  as  the  very 
highest  of  all  temporal  things  for  you.  There  is  no 
kind  of  achievement  you  could  make  in  the  world  that 
is  equa1  to  perfect  health.  What  to  it  are  nuggets  and 
millions?  The  French  financier  said : “Why  is  there 
no  sleep  to  be  sold  ? ” Sleep  was  not  in  the  market  at 
any  quotation. 

One  of  the  best  foundations  you  can  give  your 
children  for  a life  of  usefulness  and  happiness  is  a 
healthy  body.  Perfect  physical  health  induces  mental 
and  moral  health  and  strength.  If  you  would  give  to 
the  world  men  and  women  sound  in  judgment,  pure  in 


HOME  AND  HEALTH. 


59 


thought,  with  loving  hearts,  add  to  culture  wholesome 
food,  regular  habits,  plenty  of  sleep  and  outdoor  exer- 
cise. An  unimpaired  digestion  is  a fortune  to  any 
child,  and  is  a security  for  cheerfulness,  and  usually  a 
long,  happy  and  useful  life.  Therefore,  as  you  value 
such  a boon  for  your  child,  see  that  in  youth  he  does 
not  lose  it  all  by  indulgence  in  candy,  pickles,  cake 
and  pastry,  and  “ sitting  up  till  mamma’s  bedtime.” 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  says:  “The  best  part  of 
health  is  a fine  disposition.”  It  is  more  essential  than 
talent.  Nothing  will  supply  the  want  of  sunshine  to 
peaches-;  and  to  make  knowledge  valuable  you  must 
have  the  cheerfulness  of  wisdom.  Whenever  you  are 
sincerely  pleased  you  are  nourished.  The  joy  of  the 
spirit  indicates  its  strength.  All  healthy  things  are 
sweet-tempered.  It  is  observed  that  a depression  of 
spirits  develops  the  germs  of  a plague  in  individuals 
and  nations. 

Everybody  should  plan  to  have  pleasant  conversa- 
tion at  the  table  just  as  they  have  good  food.  A little 
story  telling,  a little  reading,  it  may  be  of  humorous 
things ; anecdotes  will  often  stimulate  the  joyous  ele- 
ment of  the  mind  and  cause  it  to  act  vigorously.  Try 
and  avoid  going  to  the  table  all  tired  out.  Let  all 
troublesome  topics  be  avoided.  Think  and  say  some- 
thing pleasant.  Cultivate  mirth,  and  laugh  when  any- 
thing witty  is  said.  If  possible  never  eat  alone.  In- 
vite a friend  of  whom  you  are  fond  and  try  to  have  a 
good  time.  Friendship  and  friendly  intercourse  at  the 
table  whet  the  appetite  and  promote  the  flow  of  animal 
spirits. 


■6o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Nothing  is  more  unsatisfactory  than  to  sit  clown 
clay  after  clay  to  the  same  bill  of  fare.  There  are 
houses  where  the  mistress  seems  to  have  no  inventive 
faculty,  acquired  or  innate.  Breakfast  consists  from 
Monday  until  Saturday  of  the  same  fried  pork  and 
potatoes,  or  sausage  and  cakes.  Remnants  of  things 
come  on  again  and  again,  growing  small  by  degrees, 
till  one  grows  tired  of  seeing  the  dish  of  apple  sauce 
or  the  saucer  of  prunes,  and  is  tempted  to  give  them 
to  the  dog  or  pigs.  All  this  can  be  remedied  by  a 
little  pains.  Manage  for  your  own  family  as  if  you 
had  guests,  and  vary  the  arrangements  of  your  table 
and  the  articles  of  your  diet.  Health  will  be  preserved 
thus,  and  dyspepsia  averted. 

At  the  railroad  speed  we  live  in  the  United  States, 
says  the  New  York  Times , the  mental  strain  men  are 
put  to  requires  that  they  should  not  only  have  good 
food,  but  variety  is  a necessity.  It  is  not  very  certain 
that  it  is  more  expensive  to  prepare  a dinner  of  five 
or  six  different  kinds  of  foods  than  if  only  three  were 
used.  It  is  more  troublesome,  certainly,  but  the  ad- 
vantage to  be  derived  from  such  extra  pains  cannot  be 
calculated. 

“ I hold,”  remarks  a physician,  “ that  thirty  min- 
utes should  be  spent  at  each  meal,  and  spent,  too,  in 
chewing  the  food  a good  portion  of  the  time,  and  not 
in  continued  putting  in  and  swallowing ; and  in  pleas- 
ant chat  and  laucdi,  instead  of  the  continuance  of  the 
intense  nervous  pressure  of  the  office  or  library.  If  you 
lay  out  to  spend  thirty  minutes  in  this  way  at  your 
meals,  you  may  rest  assured  you  will  not  eat  too  much, 


HOME  AND  HEALTH. 


6l 


and  what  you  do  eat  will  be  in  the  best  condition  for 
appropriation  to  the  needs  of  your  system.” 

Many  feeble  men  or  delicate  women  of  to-day  owe 
the  helplessness  of  their  lives  to  the  ignorance  of  san- 
itary laws  of  the  parents  of  forty  or  fifty  years  ago, 
even  as  fifty  years  hence  our  children  may  have  to 
reproach  us  for  that  system  of  overfeeding,  and  es- 
pecially overdrinking,  which  many  doctors  now  advo- 
cate for  the  young  generation.  I doubt  if  even  the 
calomel  powders,  jalap  and  gin,  brimstone  and  treacle 
of  our  tormented  childhood  were  worse  than  the  meat 
three  times  a day,  the  brandy  and  the  daily  glass  of 
wine,  poured  into  the  innocent  little  stomachs,  which 
naturally  would  keep  to  the  infant’s  food  of  bread  and 
milk,  and  almost  nothing  besides.  Certainly,  not  stim- 
ulants. 

A child  naturally  cries  when  it  is  hurt,  and  it  is 
cruel  to  try  to  hush  its  cries  by  threats.  A thousand 
times  better  is  it  to  soothe  it  by  stories,  by  pictures,  or 
by  providing  it  with  new  toys.  Says  a famous  doctor  r 
“We  have  many  a time,  in  our  professional  experience 
with  children,  found  more  benefit  to  be  derived  from  a 
beautiful  or  interesting  toy  than  from  a dose  of  physic.” 
The  greatest  humanity  that  a mother  can  exhibit,  in 
respect  to  her  sick  child,  is  to  divert  it  in  all  possible 
ways. 

Plenty  of  glass  is  exceedingly  important  in  the 
south  side  of  a house.  Much  of  the  moral,  as  well  as 
mental  and  physical,  ill  that  human  flesh  is  heir  to,  is 
attributable  to  lack  of  sunshine,  especially  in  winter, 
in  the  homes  of  the  people.  An  extra  window  or  two  in 


62 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  south  side  of  the  house  would  save  many  a heart- 
ache, as  well  as  headache,  by  creating  cheerfulness. 
It  would  likewise  save  many  a brain  from  losing  its 
balance.  The  beautiful  in  our  homes  and  schools  and 
sanctuaries  is  also  the  useful.  It  is  the  smile  upon  the 
face  of  the  hard  experiences  of  the  world,  the  music 
that  comes  from  heaven  amid  the  discords  of  human 
life. 

A well  known  American  gentleman  says:  “When 
I was  young,  I remember,  my  father,  from  a conscien- 
tious feeling,  I suppose,  that  he  ought  to  do  something 
positive  for  my  mental  and  moral  good  and  general 
aesthetic  cultivation,  made  me  learn  Pope’s  ‘Messiah’ 
by  heart,  and  a number  of  other  masterpieces  of  the 
same  character.  He  might  just  as  well  have  tried  to 
feed  a sucking  baby  on  roast  beef  and  Scotch  ale ! 
Without  understanding  a word  of  it,  I learned  the 
‘Messiah’  by  rote,  and  I have  hated  it,  and  its  author, 
too,  from  that  day  to  this,  and  I ha-te  them  now.  So, 
also,  I remember  well,  when  I was  a boy  of  from  ten  to 
fourteen — for  I was  a considerable  devourer  of  books — 
being  incited  to  read  Hume’s  ‘ History  of  England,’  and 
Robertson’s  ‘Charles  V,’  and  Gibbon’s  ‘Rome’  even, 
and  I am  not  sure  I might  not  add  Mitford’s  ‘ Greece.’ 
I can’t  now  say  it  was  time  thrown  away;  but  it  was 
almost  that.  The  first  thing  in  trying  to  stimulate  a 
love  for  reading  is  to  be  careful  not  to  create  disgust 
by  trying  to  do  too  much.  The  great  masterpieces 
of  human  research  and  eloquence  and  fancy  are  to 
boys  pure  nuisances.  They  can’t  understand  them  ; 
they  can’t  appreciate  them,  if  they  do.  When  they 


YOUNG  AMERICA. 


have  grown  up  to  them,  and  are  ready  for  them,  they 
will  come  to  them  of  their  own  accord.  Meanwhile, 
you  can’t  well  begin  too  low  down.  The  intellectual 
like  the  physical  food  of  children  can’t  well  be  too  sim- 
ple, provided  only  it  is  healthy  and  nourishing.” 


As  the  boy  begins,  so  the  man  will  end.  The  lad 
who  speaks  with  affectation,  and  minces  foreign  tongues 
that  he  does  not  understand  at  school,  will  be  a weak 
character  all  his  life ; the  boy  who  cheats  his  teachers 
into  thinking  him  devout  at  chapel,  will  be  the  man 
who  will  make  religion  a trade  and  bring  Christianity 
into  contempt;  and  the  boy  who  wins  the  highest  aver- 
age  by  stealing  his  examination  papers,  will  figure 
some  day  as  a tricky  politician.  The  lad  who,  whether 
rich  or  poor,  dull  or  clever,  looks  straight  into  the  eyes 
and  keeps  his  answers  inside  of  the  truth,  already  counts 
friends  who  will  last  all  his  life,  and  holds  a capital 
which  will  bring  him  in  a surer  interest  than  money. 

Then  get  to  the  bottom  of  things.  You  see  how 
it  is  already  as  to  that.  It  was  the  student  who  was 
grounded  in  the  grammar  who  took  the  Latin  prize  ; it 
was  that  slow,  steady  drudge  who  practiced  firing  every 
day  last  winter  that  bagged  the  most  game  in  the 
mountains ; it  is  the  clerk  who  studies  the  specialty  of  the 
house  in  off  hours  who  is  to  be  promoted.  Your  brilliant, 
happy-go-lucky,  hit-or-miss  fellow  usually  turns  out  the 


yOUNG  flMEI^IGA. 


64 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


dead  weight  of  the  family  by  forty-five.  Don’t  take 
anything  for  granted;  get  to  the  bottom  of  things. 
Neither  be  a sham  yourself,  nor  be  fooled  by  sham. 

The  strong,  splendid  life  of  President  Garfield,  and 
his  heroic  conduct  at  the  time  of  his  intense  suffering, 
suggest  a lesson  for  our  boys  to  which,  I think,  they 
will  be  glad  to  have  their  attention  called.  One  day, 
while  thoughts  of  the  patient  sufferer  filled  the  mind 
of  the  entire  nation,  we  read  these  words  which  were 
uttered  by  Major  Bundy,  of  New  York,  and  felt  that 
in  this  fact  lay  the  secret  of  the  noble  life  and  calm, 
steady  bravery  of  the  first  man  of  our  nation  : “ The 

Christian  in  man’s  soul  restrained  him  every  time,  for 
he  had  been  pious  from  his  boyhood,  and  had  method- 
ized his  influence,  and  got  it  down  under  control.” 

The  noble  manhood  of  the  president  is  the  fruit  of 
a well-spent  boyhood  and  youth.  It  would,  no  doubt, 
have  been  blighted  had  he  attempted  to  bring  into  his 
youthful  life  that  experience  which  we  call  “sowing 
wild  oats.” 

These  are  your  preparation  days,  boys.  Will  you 
strive  to  lay  a sure  foundation  for  a splendid  manhood 
by  drawing  into  your  life  now  good  and  true  and 
beautiful  qualities?  Or  must  the  consequences  of  a 
season  of  sowing  wild  oats  run  all  through  your  life, 
shutting  out  its  possible  nobility,  perhaps  scorching 
and  withering  every  high  and  noble  aspiration  as  with 
a moral  simoom? 

A distinguished  author  says:  “I  resolved  when  I 
was  a child  never  to  use  a word  which  I could  not 
pronounce  before  my  mother  without  offending  her.’" 


YOUNG  AMERICA. 


65 


His  rule  and  example  are  worthy  of  imitation.  Boys 
readily  learn  a class  of  low,  vulgar  words  and  expres- 
sions that  are  never  heard  in  respectable  circles.  The 
utmost  care  on  the  part  of  the  parents  will  scarcely 
prevent  it.  Of  course  we  cannot  think  of  girls  being 
exposed  to  the  peril.  We  cannot  imagine  a girl  using 
words  she  would  not  give  utterance  to  before  her 
father  or  mother.  Such  vulgarity  is  thought  by  some 
boys  to  be  “smart;”  the  “next  thing  to  swearing,  and 
yet  not  so  wicked.”  But  it  is  a habit  which  leads  to 
profanity,  and  fills  the  mind  with  evil  thoughts.  It 
vulgarizes  and  degrades  the  soul,  and  prepares  the 
way  for  many  of  the  gross  and  fearful  sins  which  now 
corrupt  society. 

Avoid  that  which  you  see  amiss  in  others.  Follow 
the  examples  only  of  the  good.  Keep  your  ears  open 
to  all  that  is  worth  hearing,  and  closed  to  all  that  is 
not.  An  older  person’s  experience  is  of  no  value  to 
you  unless  you  profit  by  it.  You  are  not  building  on 
the  future,  but  on  the  past  and  present.  Evil  com- 
munications corrupt  good  manners.  Nobody  wants  to 
deal  with  a double-minded  boy.  Be  industrious;  the 
world  wants  boys  who  are  not  afraid  of  hard  and 
steady  work.  “The  empty  vessel  makes  the  greatest 
sound.” 

If  you  would  overcome  difficulties  when  you  be- 
come older,  you  must  become  persevering  now.  Some 
boys  inherit  golden  fortunes,  but  no  boy  ever  inherited 
a scholarship,  a good  character  or  a useful  life.  If 
you  would  be  capable,  cultivate  your  mind;  if  you 
would  be  loved,  cultivate  your  heart.  Never  excuse 


66 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


a wrong  action  by  saying  some  one  else  does  the  same 
thing;  this  is  no  excuse  at  all. 

Before  the  recent  Franco-Prussian  war,  Baron 
Stoffel  was  deputed  to  report  upon  the  state  of  opinion 
and  morals  in  Prussia  as  compared  with  France.  In 
the  course  of  his  remarks  he  says,  “Discipline  in  the 
army  depends  on  the  discipline  of  society  and  private 
families.  The  young  men  in  Prussia  are  trained  to 
general  obedience,  to  respect  authority,  and,  above  all, 
to  do  their  duty.  But  how  can  this  discipline  exist  in 
the  French  army,  when  it  does  not  exist  in  French 
families?  Moreover,  look  beyond  the  family  circle,  at 
lyceums,  schools,  and  colleges, — is  anything  done  to 
develop  among  the  children  respect  for  their  parents, 
regard  for  duty,  obedience  to  authority  and  the  law, 
and,  above  all,  belief  in  God?  Nothing,  or  next  to 
nothing!  The  consequence  is,  that  every  year  we 
introduce  into  the  army  a contingent  of  young  men 
who,  for  the  most  part,  are  entirely  devoid  of  religious 
principles  and  sound  morality,  and  who,  from  their 
childhood,  have  been  used  to  obey  no  one,  to  discuss 
everything,  and  to  respect  nothing.  And  yet  there 
are  people  who  pretend  that  all  at  once  we  can,  as 
soon  as  they  get  into  the  army,  inure  to  discipline 
these  undisciplined  and  unprincipled  youths.  These 
people  do  not  suspect  that  discipline  in  the  army  is 
nothing  but  discipline  in  private  life — that  is,  sense  of 
duty,  obedience  to  appointed  superiors,  respect  for 
the  principles  of  authority  and  established  institutions.” 
Boys,  don’t  hang  around  the  corners  of  the  streets! 
If  you  have  anything  to  do,  do  it  promptly,  right  on, 


YOUNG  AMERICA. 


67 


then  go  home.  Home  is  the  place  for  boys.  About 
the  street  corners  and  at  the  stables  they  learn  to  talk 
slang,  and  they  learn  to  swear,  to  smoke  tobacco,  and 
to  do  many  other  things  which  they  ought  not  to  do. 
Do  your  business,  then  go  home.  If  your  business  is 
play,  play  and  make  a business  of  it.  I like  to  see 
boys  play  good,  earnest,  healthy  games.  If  I were  the 
town,  I would  give  the  boys  a good  spacious  play- 
ground. It  should  have  a plenty  of  soft  green  grass, 
and  trees,  and  fountains,  and  broad  space  to  run  and 
jump  and  to  play  suitable  plays.  I would  make  it  as 
pleasant,  as  lovely  as  it  could  be,  and  I would  give  it 
to  the  boys  to  play  in ; and  when  the  plays  were  ended 
I would  tell  them  to  go  home.  For  when  boys  hang 
around  the  street  corners  and  the  stables  they  get 
slouchy  and  listless.  Of  all  things  I dislike  a listless 
boy  or  girl.  I would  have  a hundred  boys  like  a hun- 
dred yachts,  with  every  spar  straight  and  every  rope 
taut,  the  decks  and  sides  clean,  the  rigging  all  in  order, 
and  everything  ready  to  slip  the  cable  and  fly  before 
the  wind  when  the  word  comes  to  g- o.  But  this  can- 
not  be  if  you  lounge  about  the  streets,  and  loaf  about 
the  corners,  and  idle  away  your  time  a t the  stables  and 
the  saloons. 

“ You  must  remember  it  isn’t  only  laying  hold  of  a 
rope — you  must  go  on  pulling.  It  is  the  mistake  you 
lads  make  that  have  got  nothing  either  in  your  brains 
or  your  pockets,  to  think  you’ve  got  a better  start  in 
the  world  if  you  stick  yourself  in  a place  where  you 
can  keep  your  coats  clean  and  be  taken  for  a gentle- 
man. That  wasn’t  the  way  I started,  young  man 


68 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


When  I was  sixteen  my  jacket  smelled  of  tar,  and  I 
wasn’t  afraid  of  handling  cheeses.  That’s  the  reason 
I can  wear  good  broadcloth  now.” 

The  boy  who  spends  an  hour  each  evening  loung- 
ing idly  on  the  street  corners,  wastes  in  a year  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  precious  hours,  which  if  applied 
to  study  would  familiarize  him  with  the  rudiments  of 
almost  any  science.  If  in  addition  to  wasting  an  hour 
each  evening  he  spends  ten  cents  for  a cigar,  which  is 
usually  the  case,  the  amount  thus  worse  than  wasted 
would  pay  for  ten  of  the  leading  periodicals  of  the 
country.  Boys,  think  of  these  things.  Think  of  how 
much  money  you  are  wasting,  and  for  what.  The 
gratification  afforded  by  the  lounge  on  the  corner,  or 
the  cigar,  is  not  only  temporary  but  positively  hurtful. 
You  cannot  indulge  in  them  without  seriously  injuring 
yourselves.  You  acquire  idle  and  wasteful  habits 
which  will  cling  to  you  with  each  succeeding  year  and 
grow  on  you  for  life. 

Physicians  are  well  agreed  that  the  use  of  tobacco 
by  growing  boys  is  full  of  danger.  Recent  investiga- 
tions, especially  in  France,  have  demonstrated  that  a 
whole  train  of  nervous  diseases  are  to  be  traced  to 
this  practice.  If  you  want  to  stop  growing,  if  you 
want  to  have  a set  of  nerves  that  are  like  those  of  the 
invalid  old  lady,  if  you  wish  to  look  sallow  and  puny, 
I do  not  know  any  better  way  than  to  smoke  tobacco. 
It  will  make  a drain  on  your  nervous  system  which  will 
be  sure  to  tell  after  awhile.  Let  us  hope  that  if  a 
thousand  boys  read  this  some  of  them  will  be  saved 
from  forming  a filthy  habit  which  most  men  regret. 


YOUNG  AMERICA. 


69 


Says  Dr.  Henson,  “I  believe  in  a boy  who  has  some- 
thin or  of  the  man  in  him,  and  I believe  in  the  man  who  has 
something  of  the  boy  in  him.”  A conservative  young 
man  has  wound  up  his  life  before  it  was  unreeled.  We 
expect  old  men  to  be  conservative,  but  when  a nation’s 
young  men  are  so,  its  funeral  bell  is  already  rung. 

Dr.  Beard  states  that  from  an  analysis  of  the  lives 
of  a thousand  representative  men  in  all  the  great 
branches  of  the  human  family,  he  made  the  discovery 
that  the  golden  decade  was  between  forty  and  fifty; 
the  brazen  between  twenty  and  thirty ; the  iron  be- 
tween fifty  and  sixty.  The  superiority  of  youth  and 
middle  life  over  old  age  in  original  work  appears  all 
the  greater  when  we  consider  the  fact  that  all  the  po- 
sitions of  honor  and  prestige — professorships  and 
public  stations — are  in  the  hands  of  the  old.  Reputa- 
tion, like  money  and  position,  is  mainly  confined  to  the 
old.  Men  are  not  widely  known  until  long  after  they 
have  done  the  work  that  give  them  their  fame.  Por- 
traits of  great  men  are  delusions;  statues  are  false! 
They  are  taken  when  men  have  become  famous,  which, 
on  the  average,  is  at  least  twTenty-five  years  after  they 
did  the  work  which  gave  them  their  fame.  Original 
work  requires  enthusiasm.  If  all  the  original  work 
done  by  men  under  forty-five  was  annihilated,  they 
would  be  reduced  to  barbarism.  Men  are  at  their 
best  at  that  time  when  enthusiasm  and  experience  are 
evenly  balanced.  This  period,  on  the  average,  is 
from  thirty-eight  to  forty.  After  this  the  law  is  that 
experience  increases,  but  enthusiasm  decreases.  Of 
course  there  are  exceptions. 


70 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


(©hoige  op  Occupation. 

Various  are  the  reasons  why  the  greater  part  of 
mankind  cannot  apply  themselves  to  arts  or  letters. 
Particular  studies  are  only  suited  to  the  capacities  of 
particular  persons.  Some  are  incapable  of  applying 
to  them  from  the  delicacy  of  their  sex,  some  from  the 
unsteadiness  of  youth,  and  others  from  the  imbecility 
of  age.  Many  are  precluded  by  the  narrowness  of 
their  education,  and  many  by  the  straitness  of  their 
fortune.  The  wisdom  of  God  is  wonderfully  mani- 
fested in  this  happy  and  well  ordered  diversity  in  the 
powers  and  properties  of  his  creatures,  since,  by  thus 
admirably  suiting  the  agent  to  the  action,  the  whole 
scheme  of  human  affairs  is  carried  on  with  the  most 
agreeing  and  consistent  economy ; and  no  chasm  is 
left  for  want  of  an  object  to  fill  it,  exactly  suited  to  its 
nature. 

In  choosing  a vocation  in  life  do  not  depend  too 
much  upon  your  tastes.  It  may  be  possible  that  your 
tastes  are  not  what  they  should  be,  and  that  effort  on 
your  part  is  needed  to  change  them  somewhat.  Duty 
and  inclination  do  not  always  run  parallel. 

There  is  nothing  should  be  taught  sooner  than  that 
this  is  a working  world,  and  that  labor,  physical  or  men- 
tal, is  a necessity  for  the  whole  progeny  of  the  first  tiller 
of  the  ground  and  sewer  of  the  fig-leaves.  Mothers  try 
to  spare  their  daughters  the  necessity  of  labor  (by 
taking  the  burden  on  themselves)  much  more  than 


CHOICE  OF  OCCUPATION. 


71 


fathers  do  their  sons.  In  fact,  my  experience  is  that 
men,  as  a rule,  are  lazier  than  women.  The  boys  are 
made  to  work  and  earn  for  their  fathers  before  the 
mothers  think  that  the  girls  can  do  more  than  to  hem 
their  ruffles  or  trim  their  hats.  Mothers  take  pride  in 
their  daughters’  soft  hands  and  round  cheeks  when 
their  own  hands  have  become  hardened  and  their  own 
cheeks  hollow.  The  danger  of  this  is  that  the  soft 
hands  and  smooth  faces  become  the  first  thought  of 

o> 

the  daughters,  and  a selfish  and  idle  life  is  the  result. 
Daughters,  you  have  but  one  mother ; care  for  her 
and  spare  her.  “No  love  like  mother’s  love,”  unself- 
ish, thoughtful,  unreasoning  often  for  herself,  but  al- 
ways taking  thought  for  “ the  children.”  An  idle  life 
is  always  a selfish  one.  No  heart  is  so  naturally  good 
as  to  escape  the  demoralizing  effects  of  days  without 
labor,  that  bring  nights  without  weariness. 

A lad  once  stepped  into  our  office  in  search  of  a 
situation.  He  was  asked  : 

“Are  you  not  now  employed?” 

“ Yes,  sir.” 

“ Then  why  do  you  wish  to  change 3 ” 

“ Oh,  I want  an  easier  place.” 

We  had  not  the  place  for  him.  No  one  wants  a 
boy  or  a man  who  is  seeking  an  easy  place  ; yet  just 
here  is  the  difficulty  with  thousands. 

Will  the  boys  let  us  advise  them  ? Go  in  for  the 
hard  places  ; bend  yourself  to  the  task  of  showing  how 
much  you  can  do.  Make  yourself  serviceable  to  your 
employer  at  whatever  cost  of  personal  ease,  and  when 
the  easy  places  are  to  be  had  they  will  be  yours.  Life 


7 2 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


is  toilsome  at  best  to  most  of  us,  but  the  easy  places 
are  at  the  end,  not  at  the  beginning,  of  life’s  course. 
They  are  to  be  won,  not  accepted. 

The  day  will  come — and  may  I do  something  to 
help  it  hither — when  the  youth  of  our  country  will  rec- 
ognize that,  taken  in  itself,  it  is  a more  manly,  and 
therefore,  in  the  old,  true  sense,  a more  gentle  thing 
to  follow  a good  handicraft,  if  it  makes  the  hands 
black  as  coal,  than  to  spend  the  day  in  keeping 
books  and  making  up  accounts,  though  therein  the 
hands  remain  white.  Not  but  that  from  a higher  point 
of  view  still,  all  work  set  by  God  and  done  divinely  is 
of  equal  honor;  but  where  there  is  a choice  I would 
gladly  see  a boy  of  mine  choose  rather  to  be  a black- 
smith, or  a watchmaker,  or  a bookbinder,  than  a clerk. 
Production — making — is  a higher  thing  in  the  scale  of 
reality  than  mere  transmission,  such  as  buying  and 
selling.  It  is,  besides,  easier  to  do  honest  work  than 
to  buy  and  sell  honestly. 

The  preference  of  farming  over  that  of  a city  life 
should  be  made  by  all  whose  health  or  force  of  will 
power  is  not  very  strong.  A weak  man,  a man  who 
loves  to  take  the  world  easy,  has  no  business  in  the 
city,  if  he  expects  to  make  of  his  life  a success.  You 
must  needs  gird  up  your  soul  to  a battle  that  will  wear 
you  down  and  out,  and  bring  gray  hairs  prematurely, 
and  turn  your  gentle  nature  into  one  of  harshness, 
and  make  life  a constant  worry  to  you,  if  you  resolve 
to  attain  success  in  a city  life. 

It  is  true  there  are  some  city  people  who  succeed 
in  their  business  and  yet  seem  to  retain  the  freshness 


CHOICE  OF  OCCUPATION. 


73 


of  youth,  the  sparkling  eye,  and  the  elastic  step.  But 
these  are  the  exceptions  and  not  the  rule.  There  are 
thousands  of  men,  and  women  too,  in  this  broad  land 
of  ours,  who  have  made  failures  of  their  city  work, 
whether  it  was  a profession  they  chose  or  a trade  or 
merchandise,  and  perhaps  wrecked  their  own  and  their 
friends’  fortunes,  and  then  retired  to  some  country 
village  or  a farm,  to  make  a livelihood.  There  are 
other  thousands  who  have  wrecked  their  health,  and 
now  lead  miserable  lives,  although  they  may  have 
made  money  in  the  city.  Many  of  these  resort  to  the 
country  and  work  upon  the  farm  to  regain  health,  or 
make  life  tolerable. 

There  is  no  class  of  men  that  need  more  help  to- 
day than  business  men.  Their  perplexities  are  in- 
numerable, their  temptations  are  infinite.  These  men 
are  hurled  into  competition  with  those  who  have  more 
means  and  less  conscience.  Opportunities  of  accumu- 
lation, if  neglected  for  an  hour,  are  snatched  up  by 
rivals.  From  January  to  December  is  one  continuous 
struggle.  The  night  brings  no  rest  to  limbs  that  toss 
with  restlessness  and  a brain  that  will  not  stop  think- 
ing. The  Sabbath  cannot  thoroughly  dam  back  the 
tide  of  anxiety,  for  the  wave  of  worldliness  dashes 
clear  over  the  churches,  and  leaves  its  foam  on  Bibles 
and  psalm  books  and  family  altars.  Worried  and 
teased  and  disappointed  and  rasped,  he  bears  in  his 
countenance  the  shock  of  the  conflict.  Men  who  live 
by  the  culture  of  the  soil  cannot  appreciate  this  wea 
and  tear  of  body  and  mind  to  which  the  merchant  and 
professional  man  are  subjected,  when  their  very  liveli- 


74 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


hood  and  business  honor  seem  at  the  mercy  of  a sea  in 
which  thousands  are  sinking,  and  across  which  multi- 
tudes of  others,  with  bending  mast  and  slit  sail,  are 
bearing  up  against  great  stress  of  weather. 

The  world  has  been  compared  by  some  to  a board 
covered  with  holes  of  many  various  shapes,  and  pegs 
fitted  for  each,  but  which  are  scattered  about  at  ran- 
dom, so  that  it  is  a mere  chance  whether  a peg  falls 
into  the  hole  that  fits  it.  There  are  numbers  of  men 
who  would  never  attain  any  extraordinary  eminence  in 
anything,  who  are  yet  so  constituted  as  to  make  a very 
respectable  figure  in  the  department  that  is  suited  for 
them,  and  to  fall  below  mediocrity  in  a different  one. 

There  is  many  a Christian  student  now  in  our  col- 
leges who,  if  he  will  decide  to  enter  the  “ high  calling  ” 
of  a laborer  for  souls,  will  keep  a hundred  thanksgiv- 
ing days  for  having  chosen  the  better  part.  The  more 
a minister  loves  his  work  the  more  he  enjoys  it.  We 
see  the  sad  and  depraved  sides  of  human  nature  ; but 
we  also  see  its  best  and  brightest  sides;  and  we  are 
kept  in  contact  with  the  most  rich  and  soul-elevating 
truths  in  the  universe.  Yes;  we  are  brought  into  the 
daily  fellowship  of  the  Divine  Teacher,  the  Elder 
Brother,  the  Holy  Comforter.  Jesus  comes  to  us  in 
our  studies.  His  countenance  shines  on  our  Bibles. 
He  glorifies  by  his  smile  the  humblest  cabin  in  which 
a frontier  missionary  is  preparing  his  message  of  heav- 
enly love.  To  save  a soul  is  a luxury  that  Gabriel 
might  covet.  “Your  heaven  is  two  heavens  to  me,” 
said  Rutherford  to  his  spiritual  children  whom  he  had 
led  to  the  Saviour. 


APPEARANCES. 


75 


flPPEAI^ANGES. 

Nothing  is  more  common  than  to  mistake  the  sign 
for  the  thing  itself;  nor  is  any  practice  more  frequent 
than  that  of  endeavoring  to  acquire  the  exterior  mark, 
without  once  thinking  to  labor  after  the  interior  grace. 
Surely  this  is  beginning  at  the  wrong  end,  like  attack- 
ing the  symptom  and  neglecting  the  disease.  To  reg- 
ulate the  features  while  the  soul  is  in  tumults,  or  to 
command  the  voice  while  the  passions  are  without 
restraint,  is  as  idle  as  throwing  odors  into  a stream 
when  the  source  is  polluted. 

The  sapient  king  who  knew  better  than  any  man 
the  nature  and  the  power  of  beauty,  has  assured 
us  that  the  temper  of  the  mind  has  a strong  influence 
upon  the  features;  “wisdom  maketh  the  face  to  shine,” 
says  that  exquisite  judge  ; and  surely  no  part  of  wis- 
dom is  more  likely  to  produce  this  amiable  effect  than 
a placid  serenity  of  soul. 

Foolish  men  mistake  transitory  resemblances  for 
eternal  facts,  and  go  astray  more  and  more.  We 
should  never  trust  to  appearances  against  our  better 
judgment.  Better  be  guided  by  experienced  and 
disinterested  advisers  when  we  have  only  outward 
appearances  on  which  to  form  our  judgment.  The 
notoriety  of  our  work  is  of  no  consequence.  The  ear- 
nestness and  accuracy  with  which  we  strike  our  blow 
is  all  important ; but  it  matters  nothing  how  far  it 
echoes. 


7 6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


What  waste,  what  misery,  what  bankruptcy,  come 
from  all  this  ambition  to  dazzle  others  with  the  glare 
of  apparent  worldly  success,  we  need  not  describe. 
The  mischievous  results  show  themselves  in  a thou- 
sand ways — in  the  rank  frauds  committed  by  men  who 
dare  to  be  dishonest,  but  do  not  dare  to  seem  poor ; 
and  in  the  desperate  dashes  at  fortune,  in  which  the 
pity  is  not  so  much  for  those  who  fail,  as  for  the  hun- 
dreds of  innocent  families  who  are  so  often  involved 
in  their  ruin. 

What  is  a good  appearance  ? It  is  not  being  pomp- 
ous and  starchy;  for  proud  looks  lose  hearts,  and  gen- 
tle words  win  them.  It  is  not  wearing  fine  clothes  ; for 
such  dressing  tells  the  world  that  the  outside  is  the 
better  part  of  the  man.  You  cannot  judge  a horse  by 
his  harness;  but  a modest,  gentlemanly  appearance, 
in  which  the  dress  is  such  as  no  one  could  comment 
upon,  is  the  right  and  most  desirable  thing.  Be  neat 
and  tidy  in  your  personal  appearance.  There  is  no 
excuse  for  carelessness  in  these  matters  in  a country 
where  water  is  plenty  and  free. 

A St.  Louis  paper  tells  a touching  story  of  school 
life.  In  one  of  the  public  schools,  many  of  the  children 
who  came  from  a distance  were  accustomed  to  bring  a 
lunch,  and  thus  save  the  long  walk  home  for  dinner. 
They  generally  ate  it  together,  and  had  a merry  time. 

Among  those  who  stopped,  one  of  the  teachers 
noticed  a little  girl  who  never  brought  any  lunch,  but 
who  looked  wistfully  at  her  playmates  as  they  were 
eating  their  noon  meal.  But  one  day  the  little  girl 
brought  her  bundle  also,  wrapped  in  paper.  At  noon 


appearances. 


77 


she  did  not  go  with  the  others,  but  remained  at  her 
desk,  as  if  preferring  to  eat  alone. 

The  teacher,  thinking  her  unsociable,  advised  her 
to  go  to  the  lunch-room  with  her  playmates,  and  walked 
toward  the  desk  to  take  the  bundle.  But  the  little 
girl,  bursting  into  sobs,  said, 

“Don’t  touch  it,  teacher;  and  O teacher,  don't  tell, 
please.  It’s  only  blocks.” 

The  poor  girl  had  no  dinner  to  bring,  but  wished 
to  keep  up  “appearances,”  so  as  not  to  seem  unlike 
her  school-mates.  And  she  was  one  of  the  best  schol- 
ars in  the  school.  She  was  very  dear  to  the  teacher’s 
heart  after  that  incident. 

I 

A traveler  once  asserted  to  a Syrian  shepherd  that 
the  sheep  knew  the  dress  of  their  master,  not  his 
voice.  The  shepherd,  on  the  other  hand,  asserted 
it  was  the  voice  they  knew.  To  settle  the  point  he  and 
the  traveler  changed  dresses  and  went  among  the 
sheep.  The  traveler,  in  the  shepherd’s  dress,  called 
on  the  sheep  and  tried  to  lead  them;  but  “they  knew 
not  his  voice,”  and  never  moved.  On  the  other  hand, 
they  ran  at  once  at  the  call  of  their  owner,  though  dis- 
guised in  the  traveler’s  dress. 

But  with  human  beings  the  case  is  different,  and  I 
more  and  more  see  this,  that  we  judge  men’s  abilities 
less  from  what  they  say  or  do,  than  from  what  they 
look.  ’Tis  the  man’s  face  that  gives  him  weight.  His 
doings  help,  but  not  more  than  his  brow.  It  is  the 
appearances  that  fill  the  scene;  and  we  pause  not  to 
ask  of  what  realities  they  are  the  proxies.  When  the 
actor  of  Athens  moved  all  hearts  as  he  clasped  the 


78  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

burial  urn,  and  burst  into  broken  sobs,  how  few  then 
knew  that  it  held  the  ashes  of  his  son. 

Each  under  his  borrowed  guise,  the  actor  belongs 
to  himself.  He  has  put  on  a mask  ; beneath  it  his  real 
face  still  exists;  he  has  thrown  himself  into  a foreign  in- 
dividuality,  which  in  some  sense  forms  a shelter  to  the 
integrity  of  his  own  character;  he  may  indeed  wear 
festive  attire,  but  his  mourning  is  beneath  it;  he  may 
smile,  divert,  act,  his  soul  is  still  his  own;  his  inner  life 
is  undisturbed;  no  indiscreet  question  will  lift  the  veil, 
no  coarse  hand  will  burst  open  the  gates  of  the 
sanctuary. 

Our  best  conjectures  as  to  the  true  spring  of 
actions  are  very  uncertain;  the  actions  themselves  are 
all  we  must  pretend  to  know  from  history.  That 
Caesar  was  murdered  by  twenty-four  conspirators  I 
doubt  not;  but  I very  much  doubt  whether  their  love 
of  liberty  was  the  sole  cause. 

It  is  common  to  talk  of  the  humble  poor  man,  and 
the  proud  rich  man.  Let  not  these  ideas  be  insepar- 
ably blended  together.  There  is  many  a man  who 
sits  down  to  a meal  of  bread  and  milk  on  a wooden 
table,  whose  heart  is  as  proud  as  the  proudest  whose 
birth  is  royal.  There  is  many  a one  whose  voice  is 
heard  in  the  public  meeting,  loudly  descanting  on  legal 
tyranny  and  aristocratic  insolence,  who  in  his  own 
narrow  circle  is  as  much  a tyrant  as  any  oppressor  who 
ever  disgraced  the  throne.  And  there  is  many  a man 
who  sits  down  to  daily  pomp,  to  whom  gold  and  silver 
are  but  as  brass  and  tin,  and  who  bears  in  the  midst 
of  it  all  a meek,  simple  spirit,  and  a “heart  refrained 


WORK  OR  PLAY. 


79 


as  a weaned  child;”  many  a man  who  lives  surrounded 
with  homage,  and  hearing  the  applause  and  flattery7  of 
men  perpetually,  on  whose  heart  these  things  fall  flat 
and  dead,  without  raising  one  single  emotion  of  flat- 
tered vanity. 

— — 

TOoi^k.  OR  I?  LAY. 

Many  seem  to  think  it  a great  disgrace  to  labor, 
and  are  ashamed  to  be  seen  doing  any  kind  of  work. 
How  unreasonable  ! How  ignorant ! How  silly  ! Some 
think  that  the  Creator,  in  wrath,  condemned  us  to  work, 
and  that  it  is  a curse  upon  us.  If  it  is  a curse,  it  is  a 
most  blessed  curse.  The  laboring  man  or  woman 
keenly  enjoys  mealtime,  and  can  sleep  soundly  and 
sweetly.  The  idle  have  to  force  the  best  of  food,  and 
sleep  is  disturbed  by  restlessness  or  sleeplessness. 
The  laboring  man  is  strong  and  healthy.  The  idle 
are  weak  and  enervated. 

The  constant  laborer  seldom  has  any  difficulties 
with  his  neighbors,  for  he  has  no  time.  The  most  no- 
torious robbers  and  cut-throats  are  idlers.  Of  the  dif- 
ficulties that  occur,  not  one  in  a million  is  between 
constant  laboring  men — especially  if  they  are  thor- 
oughly sober  men.  In  every  paper  we  read  of  mur- 
der, rape,  theft,  burglary  and  incendiarism,  and  they 
are  almost  always  committed  by  vagabond  idlers. 
Many  are  slain  in  midnight  revels  while  the  laborer  is 
reposing.  Many  idlers  gamble  away  all  their  proper- 
ty and  are  left  lower  than  the  beasts  of  the  field.  The 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


8o 

laborer  attends  to  his  own  business  ; but  the  idler  tat- 
tles, lies,  steals,  drinks,  gambles,  murders,  and  does  all 
wicked  acts. 

God,  our  Maker,  never  intended  for  anyone  to  be 
idle.  From  the  king  on  his  throne,  to  the  beggar  in 
his  hovel,  all  should  be  required  to  work  at  something. 
Can  any  man  find  a lazy,  idle  Christian?  No.  Why 
not  ? Because  there  are  none.  Labor  has  kept  many 
out  of  the  grave  for  years.  Labor  and  temperance 
are  the  two  wings  with  which  a man  or  woman  flies  to 
old  age.  Then  let  none  be  idle,  none  indolent,  none 
careless  of  his  time ; but  industrious,  sober  and 
thoughtful. 

Work  is  one  of  the  sublimest  prayers.  This  doing 
the  best  one  can  is  the  keynote  of  all  that  we  can  do. 
It  was  the  effort  to  do  his  best  for  his  Master’s  sake 
that  gave  Leonardo  da  Minci  the  inspiration  and  en- 
thusiasm to  paint  “The  Last  Supper,”  which  has 
made  his  name  immortal ; so  that  no  tourist  can  pass 
through  Milan  without  getting  a glance  at  the  sublime 
conception  of  the  artist’s  pencil  and  brush.  And  thus 
it  should  be  with  the  child  of  God.  The  spirit  of  his 
Master  should  inspire  him  to  throw  his  life  without  re- 
serve into  his  work  and  do  his  best. 

Don’t  loiter,  boys  and  girls.  When  you  know  what 
you  ought  to  do,  then  go  about  it  promptly;  and  work 
at  it  diligently,  and  finish  it.  Work  first,  and  rest  af- 
terward. Never  dawdle.  Is  there  a garden  to  be 
weeded,  corn  to  be  hoed,  hay  to  be  raked,  coal  to  be 
brought  up,  an  errand  to  be  done,  a lesson  to  be 
learned  ? make  that  the  first  thing,  and,  if  possible,  the 


WORK  OR  PLAY. 


only  thing  until  it  is  finished.  Your  comfort  and  your 
success  in  life  depend  very  much  upon  the  habits  you 
form  in  this  matter. 

You  find  some  people  who  are  always  saying  they 
have  so  much  to  do,  and  yet  they  seem  to  accomplish 
very  little.  They  are  not  comfortable  and  they  are 
not  successful.  Perhaps  they  have  a letter  to  write : 
and  they  worry  over  it  every  day  for  a week,  exhaust- 
ing as  much  strength  in  this  useless  worry  and  “dread 
to  go  about  it”  each  day  as  another  would  in  writing 
and  posting  half  a dozen  letters. 

The  successful  men  — railroad  presidents,  bankers, 
manufacturers,  merchants,  farmers  — are  men  who 
have  what  we  call  executive  ability  or  “ dispatch.”  It 
is  the  power  of  forming  an  accurate  judgment  quickly, 
doing  a thing,  or  giving  order  for  it,  at  once,  and  then 
dismissing  it  from  the  mind,  so  that  the  next  thing  may 
be  taken  up  and  dispatched.  The  hour’s  duties  are 
done  in  the  sixty  minutes,  the  day’s  duties  within  busi- 
ness hours  ; and  then  the  man  may  read,  ride,  talk, 
sleep,  rest,  with  a mind  free  from  care.  If  the  boys 
and  girls  manage  their  work  thus,  then  they  will  enjoy 
their  play. 

Work  is  the  true  philosopher’s  stone.  But  the 
work  must  be  undertaken  in  the  right  spirit,  and  must 
be  carried  forward  in  the  right  way,  to  turn  base  met- 
als to  shining  gold  at  last. 

A humorous  writer  offers  the  followine : “ And 

then  remember,  my  son,  you  have  to  work.  Whether 
you  handle  a pick  or  a pen,  a wheelbarrow  or  a set  of 

books,  digging,  ditching,  or  editing  a newspaper,  ring- 
6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


mg  an  auction  bell  or  writing  funny  things,  you  must 
work.  If  you  look  around  you,  you  will  see  that  the 
men  who  are  the  most  able  are  the  men  who  work  the 
hardest.  Don’t  be  afraid  of  killing  yourself  with  over- 
work, son.  It  is  beyond  your  power  to  do  that.  Men 
cannot  work  so  hard  as  that  on  the  sunny  side  of 
thirty.  They  die  sometimes,  but  it’s  because  they  quit 
work  at  six  p.  m.,  and  don’t  go  home  until  two  a.  m. 
It’s*  the  interval  that  kills,  my  son.  The  work  gives 
you  an  appetite  for  your  meals,  it  lends  solidity  to 
your  slumber,  it  gives  you  a perfect  and  graceful  ap- 
preciation of  a holiday. 

“There  are  young  men  who  do  not  work,  my  son; 
young  men  who  can  make  a living  by  sucking  the  end 
of  a cane,  whose  entire  mental  development  is  sufficient 
to  tell  them  which  side  of  a postage  stamp  to  lick; 
young  men  who  cah  tie  a necktie  in  eleven  different 
knots  and  never  lay  a wrinkle  in  it;  who  can  spend 
more  money  in  a day  than  you  can  earn  in  a month, 
but  who  will  go  to  the  sheriff’s  office  to  buy  a postal 
card,  and  apply  at  the  office  of  the  street  commissioner 
for  a marriage  license.  But  the  world  is  not  proud  of 
them,  son.  It  does  not  know  their  name,  even.  No- 
body likes  them,  nobody  hates  them;  the  great  busy 
world  doesn’t  even  know  they  are  there.  Things  will 
go  on  just  as  well  without  them.  So  find  out  what 
you  want  to  be,  and  do  this.  Take  off  your  coat  and 
make  a dust  in  the  world.  The  busier  you  are  the  less 
mischief  you  will  be  apt  to  get  into,  and  the  sweeter  will 
be  your  sleep,  the  brighter  and  happier  your  holidays, 
and  the  better  satisfied  will  the  world  be  with  you.” 


WORK  OR  PLAY. 


83 


The  mechanical  boy  should  have  a shop  of  his  own. 
Let  it  be  the  attic,  or  an  unused  room,  or  a place  in  the 
bam  or  wood-shed.  Give  him  a place,  and  tools.  Let 
him  have  a good  pocket-knife,  a gimlet,  chisels,  gouges, 
planes,  cutting  nippers,  a foot  rule,  saws,  and  materials 
to  work.  Let  the  boy  have  a chance.  If  he  is  a 
mechanic  it  will  come  out,  and  he  will  do  himself  credit. 
If  he  fails,  he  is  to  follow  some  calling  that  does  not 
demand  mechanical  skill. 

Hannah  Moore  says:  “Idleness  among  children, 

as  among  men,  is  the  root  of  all  evil,  and  leads  to  no 
other  evil  more  certain  than  ill  temper.” 

Boys  and  girls,  be  careful  to  find  something  that 
will  do  you  or  some  one  else  good  to  do. 

Good  healthful  play  will  come  under  this  rule,  and 
is  much  more  beneficial  every  way  than  having  nothing 
to  do,  and  getting  into  mischief. 

Such  are  the  vicissitudes  of  the  world  through  all 
its  parts  that  day  and  night,  labor  and  rest,  hurry  and 
retirement,  endear  each  other;  such  are  the  changes 
that  keep  the  mind  in  action.  We  desire,  we  pursue, 
we  obtain,  we  are  satiated;  we  desire  something  else, 
and  begin  a new  pursuit. 

Bear  in  mind  that  whatever  the  work  is  you  have 
to  do,  that  work  is  given  you  by  God.  Are  you  a shop- 
man? Well,  behind  your  counter  sell  your  goods  and 
do  your  work  as  if  it  were  God’s  work.  Are  you  a 
lawyer?  Well,  work  on  in  love  to  the  great  Law- 
giver, defend  the  right  and  defeat  the  wrong,  remem- 
bering that  your  calling  is  divine.  Are  you  a laborer, 
a ploughman,  a weaver?  Well,  steadily  use  your 


84 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


shovel,  merrily  drive  your  horses  to  the  field,  cheerily 
make  your  shuttle  fly  till  the  pattern  stands  out  before 
you  in  the  web,  remembering  that  you  are  engaged  in 
a heaven-appointed  task,  and  that  you  have  a Master 
in  heaven.  If  it  were  so,  would  not  all  trickery  disap- 
pear from  trade,  all  quirks  and  quibbles  from  the  law,, 
all  eye-service,  all  unfaithfulness,  all  discontent  from 
the  ranks  of  the  laboring  population.  Depend  upon 
it,  we  in  general  take  too  low  a view  of  our  calling. 
We  look  upon  our  labor  as  merely  drudgery.  Well,, 
it  may  be  so,  but  it  is  a divine  drudgery.  While  we 
work  we  are  doing  good;  and  everything  that  is  good 
is  God-like.  Such  a conception  as  this  ennobles  the 
meanest  toil,  and  raises  the  poorest  mechanic,  the 
humblest  tiller  of  the  soil,  into  a servant  of  Almighty 
God. 

A certain  degree  of  tension  is  indispensable  to  the 
easy  and  healthful  discharge  of  mental  functions.  Like 
the  national  instrument  of  Scotland,  the  mind  drones 
wofully  and  will  discourse  most  dolorous  music,  unless 
an  expansive  and  resilient  force  within  supplies  the 
basis  of  quickly  responsive  action.  Lfo  good,  great 
or  enduring  work  can  be  safely  accomplished  by  brain- 
force  without  a reserve  of  strength  sufficient  to  give 
buoyancy  to  the  exercise,  and,  if  I may  say  so,  rhythm  to 
the  operations  of  the  mind.  Working  at  high-pressure 
may  be  bad,  but  working  at  low-pressure  is  incompar- 
ably worse.  As  a matter  of  experience,  a sense  of 
weariness  commonly  precedes  collapse  from  “over- 
work;” not  mere  bodily  or  nervous  fatigue,  but  a more 
or  less  conscious  distaste  for  the  business  in  hand,  or 


WORK  OR  PLAY. 


85 

perhaps  for  some  other  subject  of  thought  or  anxiety 
which  obtrudes  itself.  It  is  the  offensive  or  irritating 
burden  that  breaks  the  back.  Thoroughly  agreeable 
employment,  however  engrossing,  stimulates  the  re- 
cuperative faculty  while  it  taxes  the  strength,  and  the 
supply  of  nerve-force  seldom  falls  short  of  the  demand. 
When  a feeling  of  disgust  or  weariness  is  not  experi- 
enced, this  may  be  because  the  compelling  sense  of 
duty  has  crushed  self  out  of  thought.  Nevertheless, 
if  the  will  is  not  pleasurably  excited,  if  it  rules  like  a 
martinet  without  affection  or  interest,  there  is  no  nerve , 
and,  like  a complex  piece  of  machinery  working  with 
friction  and  heated  bearings,  the  mind  wears  itself 
away  and  a breakdown  ensues. 

* Do  your  work  earnestly,  systematically,  persever- 
ingly,  patiently,  meekly,  studiously,  cheerfully,  prayer- 
fully. Attempt  great  things  for  God  ; expect  great 
things  from  God ; leave  results  with  God. 

For  a long  and  successful  career  one  should  adapt 
himself  to  his  new  conditions.  He  cannot  eat  precisely 
the  measure  or  the  kind  of  food  to-day  that  he  did 
twenty  years  ago.  We  know  a man  who  becomes 
nervous,  agitated,  and  easily  fatigued  by  studying  in 
the  afternoon.  In  early  years  this  was  not  the  case. 
It  has  come  upon  him  latterly.  But  he  has  no  difficulty 
with  his  work  in  the  morning.  It  is  a very  plain  case. 
He  ought  to  adapt  his  studies  to  the  conditions  of  his 
mind  and  body,  and  do  his  work  when  he  can  do  it 
best.  We  knew  a merchant  who  in  early  life  was  hard- 
working, and  when  about  fifty  found  his  business  could 
no  longer  be  done  by  him.  He  used  every  effort  to 


86 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


continue  his  labors,  but  he  was  unable  to  do  it.  He 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  breaking  down,  and 
was  about  to  retire  from  business  altogether.  But  the 
thought  came  to  him  like  an  inspiration,  that  he  might  take 
up  some  new  form  of  business  of  less  burden  to  him. 
He  was  about  a year  in  making  the  transition,  and 
found  that  he  was  abundantly  able  for  his  new 
departure.  He  buMt  up,  in  a more  quiet  way,  his  new 
business,  and  reached  a vigorous  and  beautiful  old  age, 
without  the  tension  of  his  earlier  years,  and  died  at  last 
with  his  easy  harness  on.  We  fully  believe  that  if 
many  a man  in  business,  instead  of  retiring  from  it. 
would  rid  himself  of  the  strain,  and  continue  moderate 
work,  he  would  save  himself  from  permature  imbecility, 
and  do  work  for  which  he  is  fitted  until  the  end  of  his 
days.  Abrupt  cessation  from  labor  is  enough  to  break 
down  the  strongest  mind.  The  elder  Disraeli’s  in- 
quiries into  the  habits  of  authorship  reveal  one  fact 
very  fully,  that  literary  men  have  found  their  real  re- 
cuperation and  ease  in  labor,  until  the  eighties  are 
reached,  by  a wise  adaptation  to  their  needs  of  mind 
and  body.  Sismondi,  the  prolific  Italian  historian, 
found  recuperation  in  change  from  one  absorbing  study 
to  one  less  so.  The  same  thing  was  the  secret  of  the 
marvelous  career  of  Alexander  von  Humboldt.  The 
human  mind  is  a subtle  instrument,  and  the  body  not 
less  capricious;  and  for  the  long  and  steady  pull  of  a 
successful  career  we  need  to  find  out  early  what  we 
need.  For  the  body  and  the  mind  are  our  beasts  of 
burden,  and  victory  depends  on  how  we  drive  them 
along  the  highway  of  life. 


GOOD  BREEDING. 


37 


Good  Breeding. 

The  more  a man  sees  of  the  world,  and  the  more 
he  mingles  with  others,  the  smaller  space  is  he  inclined 
to  claim  for  himself  among  his  fellows.  He  sees  that 
in  the  pushing  struggle  of  life,  other  people’s  rights 
must  be  considered ; and  he  must  not  take  more 
ground  than  just  enough  to  stand  on.  This  is  very 
marked  in  all  crowds,  and  in  all  public  places  and  con- 
veyances. The  man  or  woman  who  is  best  versed  in 
society  makes  smallest  demands,  and  occupies  least 
space.  The  persons  who  take  more  room  than  be- 
longs to  them  are  those  who  have  been  least  in  com- 
pany, least  accustomed  to  adapt  themselves  to  the 
needs  of  those  about  them.  If  you  want  to  be  thought 
well-bred,  traveled,  cosmopolitan,  keep  in  your  elbows 
in  a crowd,  and  sit  close  in  a street-car.  If  you  want 
to  be  thought  boorish  and  uncultivated,  and  to  be  re- 
cognized as  one  who  was  never  much  in  good 
company,  push  both  sides  of  you,  as  well  as  in  front 
and  rear,  in  a crowd,  and  spread  yourself  out  in  a car, 
or  in  a public  hall.  It  is  by  such  indications  as  these 
that  we  see  that  the  demands  of  Christian  regard  for 
the  rights  and  feelings  of  others  secure  the  best  results 
of  good  breeding.  To  be  a well-rounded  Christian 
man  or  woman  includes  the  highest  graces  of  true  gen- 
tility. 

Good  manners  are  to  a person  what  perfume  is  to 
a flower;  something  individual  and  charming;  some- 


88 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


thing  which  is  necessary  to  make  even  beauty  lovely. 
Their  very  essence  is  sympathy.  I do  not  think  a true 
Christian  could  be  anything  but  well-bred,  though 
there  are  plenty  of  gruff  and  uncivil  members  of 
churches.  But  no  one  who  has  taken  the  gospel  of 
Christ  into  his  heart,  who  loves  his  neighbor  as  himself 
and  blesses  even  his  enemy,  can  be  anything  but  truly 
polite,  however  he  might,  through  lack  of  social  expe- 
rience, offend  against  some  of  the  canons  of  etiquette. 
To  go  into  society  with  the  distinct  object  of  making 
other  people  happy  is  to  ensure  that  you  will  be  not 
only  at  ease,  but  well-bred. 

Some  men  move  through  life  as  a band  of  music 
moves  down  the  street,  flinging  out  pleasure  on  every 
side  through  the  air  to  every  one,  far  and  near,  that 
can  listen.  Some  men  fill  the  air  with  their  presence  and 
sweetness,  as  orchards  in  October  days  fill  the  air  with 
the  perfume  of  ripe  fruit.  Some  women  cling  to  their 
own  houses,  like  the  honeysuckle  over  the  door,  yet, 
like  it,  sweeten  all  the  region  with  the  subtile  fragrance 
of  their  goodness.  There  are  trees  of  righteousness 
which  are  ever  dropping  precious  fruit  around  them. 
There  are  lives  that  shine  like  star-beams,  or  charm 
the  heart  like  songs  sung  upon  a holy  day.  How 
great  a bounty  and  blessing  it  is  to  hold  the  royal  gifts 
of  the  soul  so  that  they  shall  be  music  to  some  and 
fragrance  to  others,  and  life  to  all  ! It  would  be  no  un- 
worthy thing  to  live  for  to  make  the  power  which  we 
have  within  us  the  breath  of  other  men’s  joy  ; to  scat- 
ter sunshine  where  only  clouds  and  shadows  reign;  to 
fill  the  atmosphere  where  earth’s  weary  toilers  must 


GOOD  BREEDING. 


89 


stand  with  a brightness  which  they  cannot  create  for 
themselves,  and  which  they  long  for,  enjoy  and  appre- 
ciate. 

The  coin  of  courtesy  is  current  in  every  land  and 
under  every  flag,  and  is  frequently  more  valuable  than 
gold.  However,  courtesy  is  the  circulating  medium 
between  strangers  as  compliments  pass  between  ac- 
quaintances, but  when  we  deal  with  friends  and  lovers 
we  should  pour  out  with  princely  hand  the  sovereign 
gold  of  truth,  of  candor  and  of  confidence. 

Politeness  is  to  goodness  what  words  are  to 
thought.  It  tells  not  only  on  the  manners,  but  on  the 
mind  and  heart ; it  renders  the  feelings,  the  opinions, 
the  words  moderate  and  gentle. 

True  politeness  is'perfect  ease  and  freedom.  It 
simply  consists  in  treating  others  as  you  would  love  to 
be  treated. 

Do  not  carry  on  a conversation  with  another  in 
company  about  matters  which  the  general  company 
knows  nothing  of.  It  is  almost  as  impolite  as  to  whis- 
per. 

Never  hold  any  one  by  the  button  or  the  hand  in 
order  to  be  heard  out ; for,  if  people  are  unwilling  to 
hear  you,  you  had  better  hold  your  tongue  than  them. 

Don’t  forget  to  say  “ good  morning.”  Say  it  to 
your  parents,  your  brothers  and  sisters,  your  school- 
mates, your  teachers — and  say  it  cheerfully  and  with  a 
smile ; it  will  do  you  good,  and  will  do  your  friends 
good. 

There’s  a kind  of  inspiration  in  every  “good  morn- 
ing,” heartily  spoken,  that  helps  to  make  hope  fresher 


90 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  work  lighter.  It  seems  really  to  make  the  morn- 
ing good,  and  to  be  a prophecy  of  a good  day  to  come 
after  it.  And  if  this  be  true  of  the  “good  morning,” 
it  is  so  of  all  kind,  heartsome  greetings ; they  cheer 
the  discouraged,  rest  the  tired  one,  and  somehow  make 
the  wheels  of  life  run  more  smoothly. 

A low  voice  and  soft  address  are  the  common  in- 
dications of  a well-bred  woman,  and  should  be  the 
natural  effects  of  a meek  and  quiet  spirit ; the  whole 
outward  expression  should  be  in  perfect  harmony  with 
a true  nobility  of  character  that  will  never  torture  its 
possessor  with  the  constant  fear  of  being  thrown  off 
her  guard.  She  must  ever  be  what  she  seems,  and 
then  there  is  no  danger  of  humiliating  accidents.  That 
is  true  cultivation  which  gives  us  sympathy  with  every 
form  of  human  life  and  enables  us  to  work  most  suc- 
cessfully for  its  advancement.  Refinement  that  carries 
us  away  from  our  fellowmen  is  not  God’s  refinement. 

Wherever  else  you  fail  to  behave  well,  don’t  let  it 
be  at  the  table.  Have  your  hair  brushed  and  your 
hands  bright  and  clean,  and  best  of  all,  have  every 
semblance  of  a scowl  from  off  your  face.  Mind  your 
manners,  mind  your  tempers,  and  mind  your  tongue. 
It  is  only  for  a few  moments  that  you  are  with  the 
family,  and  it  is  an  easy  thing  to  make  or  mar  the 
family  comfort ; and  a little  mar  sometimes  becomes  a 
great  one  before  its  consequences  are  done  with. 
Fold  your  napkin  carefully,  and  set  your  chair  back 
quietly.  If  there  is  a baby  in  the  house,  do  not  leave 
it  screaming  from  an  interrupted  nap,  just  because 
you  had  to  come  in  to  dinner.  Remember  there  are 


GOOD  BREEDING. 


9I 


other  people  in  the  world  beside  yourself,  and  do  not 
take  up  more  room  than  belongs  to  you.  It  is  selfish 
to  appropriate  too  much  of  the  household’s  comfort. 
Remember  the  golden  rule  when  at  the  table. 

Perhaps  one  reason  why  boys  and  girls  do  not  feel 
so  comfortable  and  so  at  ease  as  they  might  on  special 
occasions  at  the  table,  is  because  they  do  not  take 
pains  to  be  perfectly  polite  when  there  is  no  one  pres- 
ent but  the  ordinary  home  folks.  In  the  first  place  we 
owe  it  to  ourselves  always  to  look  very  neat  and  nice 
at  our  own  tables.  Nobody  should  presume  to  sit 
down  to  a meal  without  making  a proper  toilet  before- 
hand. Boys  ought  to  be  careful  that  their  hair  is 
brushed,  their  hands  and  faces  clean,  their  nails  free 
from  stain  and  soil,  their  collars  and  ties  in  order  be- 
fore they  approach  the  table.  A very  few  moments 
spent  in  this  preparation  will  freshen  them  up  and 
give  them  the  outward  appearance  of  little  gentlemen. 
I hope  girls  do  not  need  to  be  cautioned  thus. 

Good  manners  are  not  learned  from  arbitrary 
teaching  so  much  as  acquired  from  habit.  They  grow 
upon  us  by  use.  We  must  be  courteous,  agreeable,, 
civil,  kind,  gentlemanly  and  womanly  at  home,  and 
then  it  will  soon  become  a kind  of  second  nature  to 
be  so  everywhere.  A coarse,  rough  nature  at  home 
begets  a habit  of  roughness  which  we  cannot  lay  off, 
if  we  try,  when  we  go  among  strangers.  The  most 
agreeable  people  we  have  ever  met  in  company  are 
those  who  are  perfectly  agreeable  at  home.  Home  is 
the  school  for  all  the  best  things,  especially  good  man- 
ners. Cultivate  kindness  and  good  nature  at  home 


92 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  it  will  come  readily  at  other  times;  if  your  home 
life  is  fretful  and  fault-finding  it  is  easily  known,  where- 
ever  you  are. 

Many  a girl  is  careless  as  to  how  much  money  a 
young  man  spends  for  her.  Three  and  five  dollars 
for  a horse  and  carriage  he  can  poorly  afford,  perhaps, 
yet  she  will  go  with  him  week  after  week,  with  no  par- 
ticular interest  in  him,  unmindful,  apparently,  whether 
he  earns  the  money  or  takes  it  from  his  employer’s 
drawer.  He  makes  her  expensive  presents.  He 
takes  her  to  a concert,  in  going  to  which,  usually,  save 
for  her  pride  and  his  gallantry,  a horse-car  ride  for 
ten  cents  would  be  far  wiser  than  a carriage  ride  for 
several  dollars.  A young  man  respects  a young 
woman  all  the  more  who  is  careful  of  the  way  in  which 
he  spends  his  money,  and  will  not  permit  too  much  to 
be  used  for  her.  A thoughtful  and  well-bred  girl  will 
be  wise  about  these  matters. 

We  close  this  subject  by  quoting  the  sensible  and 
beautiful  words  of  Hannah  More: 

“ How  easily  and  effectually  may  a well-bred  woman 
promote  the  most  useful  and  elegant  conversation,  al- 
most without  speaking  a word!  for  the  modes  of  speech 
are  scarcely  more  variable  than  the  modes  of  silence. 
The  silence  of  listless  ignorance  and  the  silence  of 
sparkling  intelligence  are  perhaps  as  separately 
marked  and  as  distinctly  expressed  as  the  same  feel- 
ings could  have  been  by  the  most  unequivocal  language. 
A woman  in  a company  where  she  has  the  least  influ- 
ence, may  promote  any  subject  by  a profound  and 
invariable  attention,  which  shows  that  she  is  pleased 


THINK  AND  ACT. 


9 3 


with  it,  and  by  an  illuminated  countenance,  which 
proves  that  she  understands  it.  This  obliging  atten- 
tion is  the  most  flattering  encouragement  in  the  world 
to  men  of  sense  and  letters  to  continue  any  topic  of  in- 
struction or  entertainment  they  may  happen  to  be  en- 
gaged in;  it  owed  its  introduction,  perhaps,  to  accident, 
the  best  introduction  in  the  world  for  a subject  of  ingen- 
uity, which,  though  it  could  not  have  been  formally  pro- 
posed without  pedantry,  may  be  continued  with  ease  and 
good  humor;  but  which  may  be  frequently  and  effect- 
ually stopped  by  the  listlessness,  inattention,  or  whis- 
pering of  silly  girls,  whose  weariness  betrays  their 
ignorance,  and  whose  impatience  exposes  their  ill 
breeding.  A polite  man,  however  deeply  interested 
in  the  subject  on  which  he  is  conversing,  catches  at  the 
slightest  hint  to  have  done;  a look  is  sufficient  intima- 
tion ; and  if  a pretty  simpleton  who  sits  near  him  seems 
distrait,  he  puts  an  end  to  his  remarks,  to  the  great 
regret  of  the  reasonable  part  of  the  company.” 


©HIN^  AND  flGT. 


He  who  forms  a deeply  set  habit  of  thinking  and 
doing  right,  moves  with  the  current  of  a mighty  tide 
of  life,  and  has  good  hope,  through  grace,  of  making  a 
happy  landing  at  last.  No  one  who  adequately  com- 
prehends life  can  be  otherwise  than  in  downright,  storm- 
ful earnestness  about  it. 

The  Christian  must  think,  that  he  may  do.  If  the 


94 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


seed  of  his  right  thinking  do  not  bring  forth  the  fruit 
of  action  after  its  kind,  it  is  of  little  worth.  Said 
Savonarola,  “ One  only  knows  what  he  practices.” 
They  asked  Joan  of  Arc  what  virtue  she  supposed  there 
was  in  her  white  standard,  wishing  to  accuse  her  of 
magic.  “I  said  to  it,”  she  answered,  “go  boldly 
among  the  English,  and  then  I followed  it  myself.”  So, 
lifting  the  standard  of  white  thoughts,  must  the  Chris- 
tian himself  follow  in  white  action.  Thinking’  and 
doing,  not  thinking  alone,  nor  doing  alone,  but  both 
together,  must  go  to  make  the  genuine  Christian  life. 

There  is  a world  of  work  to  be  done  in  this  our  day 
— work  that  will  stand  glorious  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  angels, and  the  millions  of  the  redeemed,  when  the 
heavens  have  passed  away  as  a scroll,  and  the  earth 
itself  has  been  burned  up.  Shall  we  help  in  this  work 
or  not?  How  shall  we  spend  our  time  and  money  in 
this  little  earth-life?  Shall  we  take  all  the  money  we 
worked  so  hard  to  get  and  use  it  for  things  that  will 
pass  away  and  be  forgotten  forever  when  we  sleep  in 
our  graves?  Rather  would  we  not  wish  that  when  we 
“rest  from  our  labors”  our  “works  may  follow  us”  and 
go  on,  and  on,  a blessing  to  mankind? 

Over  the  earth  rise  daily  the  soul-cries  of  millions 
of  earth’s  suffering  ones — they  are  crying  to  Christians : 
“Teach  us  of  Jesus,  the  way  of  Life  Eternal.  Give  us 
light.”  For  all  that  is  being  done  to-day,  there  are 
still  millions  that  are  “quietly  left  by  the  church  one 
generation  after  another  to  grow  up  in  sin”  and  suf- 
fering and  false  religions — left  to  die!  Where  are  the 
Christians  that  will  hasten  to  the  rescue  of  immortal 


THINK  AND  ACT. 


95 


men  and  women  ? Indulge  in  needless  luxuries  when 
with  the  money  thus  used  you  might  help  on  work  that 
would  save  from  eternal  darkness  men  and  women 
for  whom  Jesus  died? 

Reader  are  you  doing  all  you  can  do  ? Remember 
the  poverty  of  the  Son  of  God.  Is  there  nothing  for 
you  to  give  up  that  more  souls  may  be  taught  of  him  ? 
Value  the  things  of  this  life  as  you  will  in  the  Judg- 
ment Day  when  you  see  the  wailing  multitudes  on  the 
left  hand.  Would  you  live  well  on  earth?  Would  you 
have  your  life  not  lived  in  vain  ? Then  do  all  you  can 
to  help  on  in  the  work  of  soul  saving.  Work  hard; 
get  more  money  to  give  for  this  greatest  of  all  works. 
Work  for  eternity ! 

Good  plans  are  not  enough.  There  are  some 
zealous  people  who  are  always  wanting  to  know  the 
methods  pursued  by  successful  workers.  No  doubt 
there  is  something  in  wise  plans.  There  are  ways  of 
working  that  are  better  than  other  ways.  There  is  a 
great  power  in  an  effective  organization.  But,  after  all, 
the  very  best  plans  alone  amount  to  nothing.  That 
which  gives  success  is  downright,  honest,  skilful  work. 
The  old  painter  said  he  mixed  colors  with  brains,  to 
give  them  such  a beauty  upon  the  canvas.  Successful 
men  win  their  success,  not  by  dexterous  arts  and  scien- 
tific maneuvering,  but  by  brain  and  brawn.  Make  the 
best  plans  you  can,  but  be  sure  you  put  your  whole 
heart  and  soul  into  them.  Do  it  for  Christ,  and  de- 
pending upon  his  blessing,  you  will  not  fail. 

The  tree  will  not  only  lie  as  it  falls,  but  it  will  fall 
as  it  leans.  And  the  great  question  every  one  should 


96 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


bring  home  to  himself  is,  “What  is  the  inclination  of 
my  soul?  Does  it,  with  all  its  affections  and  power, 
lean  toward  God  or  away  from  Him?”  John  Hall 
says,  “Put  your  heart  into  Christ’s  hands;  then  a thou- 
sand speculations  and  doubts  and  guesses,  born  of 
self-love  and  conceit,  will  vanish  into  thin  air.” 

Franklin  says,  “Work  to-day,  for  you  know  not 
how  much  you  will  be  hindered  to-morrow.” 

“In  every  beginning  think  of  the  ending,”  says  a 
well  known  author.  “Action  is  generally  defective,  and 
proves  an  abortion  without  previous  contemplation. 
Contemplation  generates,  action  propagates.”  Mar- 
cus Antoninus  writes,  “The  happiness  of  your  life 
depends  upon  the  quality  of  your  thoughts,  therefore 
guard  accordingly,  and  take  care  that  you  entertain  no 
notions  unsuitable  to  virtue  and  unreasonable  to 
nature.” 

We  are  not  careful  enough  of  those  we  love.  We 
become  used  to  their  presence,  and  their  real  value 
becomes  dulled;  and  often,  in  our  carelessness,  we  are 
forgetful  that  though  true  gold — as  we  acknowledge 
our  friends  really  to  be — can  not  be  tarnished,  it 
may  be  scratched  and  dimmed  by  too  rough  handling. 
After  the  years  are  gone,  and  the  friends,  too,  often- 
times, then  it  is  we  wish  we  had  treated  them  more 
universally  kind,  and  so  with  our  own  hand  is  the 
future  planted  with  thorns. 

Act  as  if  you  realized  Jesus  by  your  side,  and  as 
you  will  wish  you  had  done  when  you  stand  to  give 
your  account  before  the  dread  bar  of  eternal  justice 
at  the  last  day.  No  matter  how  slight  the  thing  to  be 


THINK  AND  ACT. 


97 


done — George  Herbert  tells  us  we  can  sweep  a room 
to  the  glory  of  God. 

“ Who  sweeps  a room  from  love  divine 
Makes  that  and  the  action  fine.” 

That  is  a wise  old  saying,  “Spend  not  all  you  have; 
believe  not  all  you  hear;  tell  not  all  you  know,  and  do 
not  all  you  can.”  There  is  so  much  work  to  be  done 
that  needs  our  hands,  that  it  is  a pity  to  waste  any  of 
our  strength.  When  the  game  is  not  worth  the  candle, 
drop  it  at  once.  It  is  wasting  time  to  look  for  milk  in 
a gate-post,  or  blood  in  a turnip,  or  sense  in  a fool. 
Never  ask  a covetous  man  for  money  till  you  have 
boiled  a flint  soft.  Don’t  sue  a debtor  who  has  not  a 
penny  to  bless  himself  with — you  will  only  be  throw- 
ing good  money  after  bad,  which  is  like  losing  your 
ferret  without  getting  the  rabbit.  Never  offer  a look- 
ing glass  to  a blind  man ; if  a man  is  so  proud  that  he 
will  not  see  his  faults,  he  will  only  quarrel  with  you  for 
pointing  them  out  to  him.  It  is  of  no  use  to  hold  a 
lantern  to  a mole,  or  to  talk  of  heaven  to  a man  who 
cares  for  nothing  but  his  dirty  money.  There  is  a 
time  for  everything,  and  it  is  a silly  thing  to  preach  to 
drunken  men;  it  is  casting  pearls  before  swine;  get 
them  sober  and  then  talk  to  them  soberly;  if  you  lec- 
ture them  while  drunk,  you  act  as  if  you  were  drunk 
yourself. 

As  to  serving  the  Lord  with  cold  hearts  and  drowsy 
souls,  there  has  been  too  much  of  it,  and  it  causes 
religion  to  wither.  Men  ride  stags  when  they  hunt 
for  gain,  and  snails  when  they  are  on  the  road  to 

heaven.  Preachers  go  on  see-sawing,  droning  and 
7 


98 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


prosing,  and  the  people  fall  to  yawning  and  folding 
their  arms,  and  then  say  that  God  is  withholding  the 
blessing.  Every  sluggard,  when  he  finds  himself  en- 
listed in  the  ragged  regiment,  blames  his  luck,  and 
some  churches  have  learned  the  same  wicked  trick. 
I believe  that  when  Paul  plants  and  Apollos  waters, 
God  gives  the  increase;  and  I have  no  patience  with 
those  who  throw  the  blame  on  God  when  it  belongs  to 
themselves. 

Time  is  not  tied  to  a post  like  a horse  to  a manger; 
it  passes  like  the  wind,  and  he  who  would  grind  his 
corn  by  it  must  set  the  mill-sails.  He  that  gapes  till 
he  is  fed,  will  gape  till  he  be  dead.  Nothing  is  to  be 
got  without  pains  except  poverty  and  dirt.  In  the  old 
days  they  said,  “Jack  gets  on  by  his  stupidity;”  Jack 
would  find  it  very  different  nowadays,  I think;  but 
never  in  old  times,  or  any  other  times,  would  Jack  get 
on  by  foolishly  letting  present  chances  slip  by  him;  for 
hares  never  run  into  the  mouths  of  sleeping  dogs. 
He  that  hath  time,  and  looks  for  better  time,  time 
comes  that  he  repents  himself  of  time.  There’s  no 
good  in  lying  down  and  crying  “God  help  us!”  God 
helps  those  who  help  themselves.  When  I see  a man 
who  declares  that  the  times  are  bad,  and  that  he  is 
always  unlucky,  I generally  say  to  myself,  that  old 
goose  did  not  sit  on  the  eggs  till  they  were  all  addled, 
and  now  Providence  is  to  be  blamed  because  they 
won’t  hatch.  I never  had  any  faith  in  luck  at  all,  ex- 
cept that  I believe  good  luck  will  carry  a man  over  a 
ditch  if  he  jumps  well,  and  will  put  a bit  of  bacon  into 
his  pot  if  he  looks  after  his  garden  and  keeps  a pig. 


THE  STRONG  MAN. 


99 


Luck  generally  comes  to  those  who  look  after  it,  and 
my  notion  is  that  it  taps  at  least  once  in  a lifetime  at 
everybody’s  door,  but  if  industry  does  not  open  it, 
away  it  goes.  Those  who  have  lost  the  last  coach,  and 
let  every  opportunity  slip  by  them,  turn  to  abusing 
Providence  for  setting  everything  against  them:  “If 

I were  a hatter,”  says  one,  “men  would  be  born  without 
heads.”  “If  I went  to  the  sea  for  water,”  quoth  an- 
other, “I  should  find  it  dried  up.”  Every  wind  is  foul 
for  a crazy  ship.  Neither  the  wise  nor  the  wealthy 
can  help  him  who  has  long  refused  to  help  himself. 

©he  Strong  QQan. 

Paul’s  exhortation  to  the  Corinthian  Christians, 
“ Quit  you  like  men  ; be  strong,”  never  needed  strong- 
er urging  than  to-day.  The  command  itself  is  a stir- 
ring one.  It  rings  out  like  the  authoritative  utterance 
of  a military  chieftain.  In  imagination  we  can  see  the 
shadowy  outline  of  the  warlike  hosts  preparing  for  the 
work  of  defense  or  aggression  ; and  as,  in  the  dim  dis- 
tance, the  banner  of  the  advancing  foe  is  seen  flutter- 
ing  in  the  breeze,  and  as  the  heavy  strains  of  martial 
music  are  heard,  indicating  their  advance  movement, 
the  voice  of  the  commander  in  calm,  measured  tones 
is  heard  saying,  “Be  brave;  be  bold  ; stand  to  your 
places  in  the  hour  of  conflict;  quit  you  like  men ; be 
strong.” 


IOO 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Thus  on  the  field  where  Right  is  arrayed  against 
Wrong,  Truth  against  Error,  Sin  against  Holiness,  the 
Great  Commander  comes  to  the  hosts  of  truth,  risfht 
and  holiness  saying,  “You  see  the  banner  of  the 
enemy  in  the  distance ; you  can  see  their  number  and 
might;  the  contest  will  be  long  and  severe  ; but  stand 
every  man  to  his  place  in  the  ranks;  quit  you  like  men; 
be  strong.”  Never  in  the  world’s  history  has  there 
been  a time  when  men — men  of  principle,  of  firmness, 
of  strong,  well-vertebrated  character — were  more 
needed  than  now.  We  have  fallen  upon  a time  of 
general  godlessness. 

To  indifferentism — an  absolute  and  total  destitution 
of  interest  in  the  minds  of  the  masses  touching  matters 
of  eternal  concernment — is  superadded  the  influence 
of  pernicious  social  customs  and  institutions  that  are 
surely  dragging  the  young  downward  in  the  pathway 
of  darkness.  Of  these  we  may  mention  the  theatre, 
cards,  the  dance,  horse-racing,  and  wine-drinking. 
And  the  chief  danger  attaching  to  these  evils,  and  that 
which  renders  it  a delicate  matter  for  men  to  assume 
an  attitude  of  hostility  to  them,  is  that  among  the 
patrons  of,  and  apologists  for,  these  social  customs,  are 
some  of  our  good  men  as  to  moral  and  social  worth. 
And  were  it  not  for  the  infusion  of  this  element  in  the 
theatre,  the  dance  and  the  card  party,  they  would  fall 
to  pieces  as  a result  of  their  own  rottenness. 

To  antagonize  these  false  social  customs,  sustain- 
ed and  upheld  by  the  wealth  and  culture  of  many  of 
our  towns  and  cities — to  brand  that  as  wrong  and  cor- 
rupting which  wealth  and  social  position  declare  to  be 


THE  STRONG  MAN. 


IOI 


right,  chaste  and  elevating,  requires  a degree  of  hero- 
ism scarcely  below  that  of  the  martyrs  during  the  dark 
days  of  blood  and  persecution. 

We  are  all  but  children  of  a larger  growth.  Boys 
do  not  like  to  be  laughed  at  by  their  young  companions. 
It  requires  a very  strong  and  straight  moral  backbone 
to  enable  a boy  to  pursue  an  even  course  of  right 
when  his  companions  are  continually  calling  out  in  his 
ears,  “Tied  to  your  mother’s  apron  strings.”  So  when 
men  are  ever  ready  to  brand  us  as  “old  fogies,”  to  jot 
us  down  as  good-meaning  fellows,  but  “ forty  years  be- 
bifid  the  times,”  we  need  a good  deal  of  grit  to  stand 
firm.  But  here  is  just  where  the  apostolic  injunction, 
“Quit  you  like  men  ; be  strong,”  comes  in  with  tremen- 
dous force  and  meaning.  In  defense  of  truth  and  right 
— for  the  honor  and  glory  of  him  who  gave  his  life  for 
us — we  are  to  be  ready  to  have  our  names  cast  out  as 
evil,  if  need  be. 

Rely  on  yourself ; take  it  for  granted  that  you  can 
accomplish  your  plans.  Never  say  “I  can’t”;  they 
are  ignoble  words.  He  who  does  not  feel  within  him- 
self the  power  to  conquer  fate  is  not  a man  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word.  Of  course  it  is  a misfortune  for 
him,  since  he  can  never  be  of  any  benefit  to  himself  or 
anybody  else.  Heaven  help  the  woman  who  marries 
him!  Somebody  says,  “O,  I don’t  like  these  self-con- 
ceited folks  ! ” My  friend,  self-conceit  and  self-confi- 
dence are  two  qualities  as  different  as  light  and  dark- 
ness ; and  though  the  self-conceited  man  may  not  be 
the  most  agreeable  of  companions,  we  infinitely  prefer 
him  to  the  creeping,  cringing,  mean-spirited  fellow  who 


102 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


is  never  ready  for  an  emergency,  and  who,  like  Uriah 
Heep,  spends  his  life  in  trying  to  be  “umble.” 

The  man  who  says  “I  will  do  it!  ” — who  says  from 
his  heart  and  means  it  too, — who  bends  his  whole  en- 
ergy to  the  work  almost  always  accomplishes  it ; and 
then  people  call  him  lucky  and  successful,  and  all  that 
sort  of  thing,  when,  in  fact,  his  luck  has  been  brought 
about  by  his  own  persevering  efforts,  and  by  his  confi- 
dence in  himself.  Fortune  detests  cowardice,  and  the 
man  who  will  not  be  conquered  by  trifles  is  a prime 
favorite. 

Things  which  never  could  have  made  a man  happy 
develop  a power  to  make  him  strong.  Strength  and 
not  happiness,  or  rather  only  that  happiness  which 
comes  by  strength,  is  the  end  of  human  living.  And. 
with  that  test  and  standard  the  best  order  and  beauty 
reappear. 

Man  is  capable  of  greater  suffering  than  any  other 
creature  on  earth,  but  he  is  capable  of  higher  and  in- 
tenser enjoyment,  and  that  simply  because  he  is  a man 
and  not  merely  an  animal.  He  must  conquer  himself 
and  the  world  in  order  to  be  forever  mighty. 

To  achieve  the  greatest  results  the  man  must  die 
to  himself,  must  cease  to  exist  in  his  own  thoughts. 
Not  until  he  has  done  this  does  he  begin  to  do  aught 
that  is  great. 

No  man  has  come  to  true  greatness  who  has  not 
felt  in  some  degree  that  his  life  belongs  to  his  race, 
and  what  God  gives  him,  he  gives  him  for  mankind. 

The  soul  knows  what  iustice  is  ; and  in  those  who 
approve,  and  in  those  who  resist,  truth  creates  con- 


THE  STRONG  MAN. 


103 


science.  Those  who  resist  are  irritated ; those  who 
obey  grow  strong  within  themselves. 

Storms  rage  with  more  or  less  fury  about  every 
earnest  man  who  seeks  to  follow  Christ  fully ; but  with 
his  mind  stayed  on  God  he  stands  safe,  undisturbed,  in 
the  calm  of  the  master’s  benediction. 

It  is  impossible  to  make  a man  of  worth  out  of  one 
who  has  no  reliable  character  for  a backbone.  A youth 
without  character  will  absorb  whatever  he  comes  in 
contact  with  that  it  is  easy  to  absorb ; and  the  very 
easiest  thing  there  is  to  drink  into  one’s  nature  is  the 
sin  that  lies  around  us. 

Mind  is  superior  to  things,  not  because  it  is  free 
from  law,  but  because  it  is  law  unto  itself.  The  true 
man  is  he  who  freely  and  gladly  obeys  the  laws  of  his 
being ; who  is  not  drawn  hither  and  thither  by  every 
passing  impulse  or  influence,  but  steadfastly  follows 
the  leadings  of  his  conscience  and  his  own  ever-pro- 
gressing standard  of  right-doing.  Thus  he  is,  first  of 
all,  true  to  himself ; and  in  so  being,  he  is  true  to  all 
others.  If  he  makes  a promise,  he  is  sure  to  keep  it; 
if  he  enters  into  a contract,  he  will  fulfill  it  both  in  let- 
ter and  in  spirit ; if  he  assumes  a relation,  he  will  be 
certain  to  discharge  its  obligations ; and  this,  not  from 
outward  compulsion,  not  from  the  fear  of  social  or 
personal  disfavor,  not  from  the  influence  of  circum- 
stances or  feelings  ; but  from  his  own  secret  loyalty  to 
the  right,  which  is  the  essence  of  all  true  freedom. 

Christian  obligation  cannot  be  made  to  accord  with 
a law  of  expediency.  The  Christian’s  maxims  are : 

“ Do  right,  because  you  are  bound  to  do  right  ” ; “ Do 


104 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


right,  though  the  heavens  fall.”  There  is  a world  of 
difference  between  “ You  had  better ” and  “You  are 
bound  to.” 

Dr.  Holland  was  a strict  temperance  man.  When 
asked  as  to  his  habits,  he  said : “ I neither  drink  wine 
nor  give  it  to  my  guests.  Strong  drink  is  the  curse 
of  the  country  and  the  age.  Sixty  thousand  men  in 
America  every  year  lie  down  in  the  grave  of  the 
drunkard.  Drink  has  murdered  my  best  friends,  and 
I hate  it.  It  burdens  me  with  taxes,  and  I denounce  it 
as  a nuisance,  on  which  every  honest  man  should  put 
his  heel.” 

The  lesson  is  simple.  Godliness  with  contentment 
is  great  gain.  The  Midianitish  seer  perished  through 
covetousness.  Be  content  with  what  things  ye  have. 
That  keen  wit,  Douglass  Jerrold,  has  said  that  he  dines 
in  state,  though  on  a biscuit  and  an  onion,  if  he  dines 
out  of  debt ; he  wears  a warm  coat,  no  matter  how 
threadbare,  if  there  be  a tailor’s  receipt  in  its  pocket ; 
there  is  gloss  in  a well-worn  hat,  and  Tyrian  purple  in 
a faded  waistcoat,  if  they  both  be  paid  for.  A heart 
at  peace  in  a whitewashed  garret,  an  eye  that  sees 
wine  in  a pure,  cold  spring,  and  a mouth  that  can  wa- 
ter at  the  sight  of  the  stale  bread  of  last  week,  will 
make  its  possessor  a true  son  of  liberty,  and  free  as 
the  singing  lark  above  his  head. 


COMMON  SENSE. 


105 


©ommon  Sense. 

Common  sense  is  not  a common  thing.  Common 
sense  is  as  different  from  genius  as  perception  is  from 
invention  ; yet,  though  distinct  qualities,  they  frequent- 
ly subsist  together.  It  is  altogether  opposite  to  wit, 
but  by  no  means  inconsistent  with  it.  It  is  not  science, 
for  there  is  such  a thing  as  unlettered  common  sense; 
yet,  though  it  is  neither  wit,  learning,  nor  genius,  it  is 
a substitute  for  each,  where  they  do  not  exist,  and  the 
perfection  of  all,  where  they  do. 

Common  sense  appears  to  differ  from  taste  in  this, 
that  taste  is  an  instantaneous  decision  of  the  mind,  a 
sudden  relish  of  what  is  beautiful,  or  disgust  at  what 
is  defective  in  an  object,  without  waiting  for  the  slower 
confirmation  of  the  judgment.  Common  sense  is 
perhaps  that  confirmation  which  establishes  a suddenly 
conceived  idea,  or  feeling,  by  the  powers  of  comparing 
and  reflecting.  They  differ  also  in  this,  that  taste  seems 
to  have  a more  immediate  reference  to  arts,  to  litera- 
ture, and  almost  every  object  of  the  senses  ; while 
good  sense  rises  to  moral  excellence,  and  exerts  its  in- 
fluence on  life  and  manners.  Taste  is  fitted  to  the 
perception  and  enjoyment  of  whatever  is  beautiful  in 
art  or  nature;  common  sense  to  the  improvement  of 
the  conduct,  and  the  regulation  of  one’s  every  day 
life. 

It  is  the  peculiar  property  of  genius  to  strike  out 
in  great  or  beautiful  things;  it  is  the  felicity  of  common 


io6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


sense  not  to  do  absurd  ones.  Genius  breaks  out  in 
splendid  sentiments  and  elevated  ideas ; commou 
sense  confines  its  more  circumscribed,  but  perhaps 
more  useful  walk,  within  the  limits  of  prudence  and 
propriety. 

Whatever  is  elegant  is  also  rare : what  is  useful  is 
more  common.  How  many  thousands  are  born  quali- 
fied for  the  coarse  employments  of  life,  for  one  who  is 
capable  ot  excelling  in  the  fine  arts ! yet  so  it  ought  to 
be,  because  our  natural  wants  are  more  numerous,  and 
more  importunate,  than  the  intellectual.  But  what  the 
greater  part  of  the  world  mean  by  common  sense  will 
be  generally  found,  on  a closer  inquiry,  to  be  art,  fraud, 
or  selfishness ! That  sort  of  saving  prudence  which 
makes  men  extremely  attentive  to  their  own  safety  or 
profit ; diligent  in  the  pursuit  of  their  own  pleasures 
or  interests;  and  perfectly  at  their  ease  as  to  what  be- 
comes of  the  rest  of  mankind.  Furies,  where  their 
own  property  is  concerned ; philosophers,  when 
nothing  but  the  good  of  others  is  at  stake;  and  per- 
fectly resigned  under  all  calamities  but  their  own. 

Common  sense  will  teach  every  man  that  the  moral 
law  is  binding  upon  every  intelligence  in  the  universe. 
How  can  its  precepts  be  annulled  or  relaxed  ? Is  not 
every  one,  man  or  angel,  bound  to  worship  God,  and 
God  alone  ? Can  any  one  be  excused  from  honoring 
his  parents  ? Will  there  ever  be  a time  when  the  pre- 
cepts against  stealing,  adultery,  perjury,  murder,  covet- 
ousness, will  be  repealed?  Will  it  not  be  the  duty  of 
every  moral  agent  to  love  God  with  all  his  powers, 
and  his  neighbor  as  himself,  to  all  eternity  ? 


COMMON  SENSE. 


107 


Man  is  not  born  to  solve  the  problem  of  the  uni- 
verse, but  to  find  out  what  he  has  to  do;  and  to  re- 
strain himself  within  the  limits  of  his  comprehension. 
It  is  unwise  to  disbelieve  any  statement  of  God’s  word 
simply  because  we  cannot  understand  that  statement 
at  a glance.  Minds  are  not  made  larger  or  richer  by 
indiscriminately  sifting  through  them  the  facts  of  yester- 
day after  yesterday. 

The  fountain  of  content  must  spring  up  in  the  mind; 
and  he  who  has  so  little  knowledge  of  human  nature 
as  to  seek  happiness  by  changing  anything  but  his  own 
disposition,  will  waste  his  life  in  fruitless  efforts,  and 
multiply  the  griefs  which  he  purposes  to  remove. 

Christianity  is  a system  of  common  sense  as  well 
as  of  grace.  It  places  under  prohibition  those  things, 
and  those  only,  that  are  hurtful.  The  parent  permits 
the  child,  in  the  exuberance  of  its  glad,  young,  joyous 
life,  to  chase  the  beautiful  and  harmless  butterfly;  to 
pluck  the  pansy  or  the  dahlia ; but  interdicts  its  ap- 
proach to  the  den  of  rattlesnakes  ; forbids  its  playing 
with  the  brier  and  the  thorn.  Thus  God  permits  men, 
aye  enjoins  upon  them,  to  love  truth,  and  right,  and 
virtue,  because,  in  the  very  constitution  of  his  own 
moral  government,  these  things  produce  a golden 
harvest  of  peace  and  happiness  in  the  life.  God  com- 
mands holiness  of  heart  and  life,  because  it  fits  men  for 
the  enjoyment  of  holy  delights  beyond  the  skies.  He 
forbids  impurity,  sin  in  all  its  forms,  because  the  end 
thereof  is  death.  And  the  man  who  has  appetite, 
passion,  lust  under  control,  who  is  their  master  and  not 
their  slave,  who  uses  these  as  sources  of  power  to  im- 


io8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


pel  him  onward  in  the  way  of  right  doing,  even  as  the 
engineer  uses  the  steam  to  drive  the  ponderous  ma- 
chinery of  the  engine, — that  man  is  the  highest  type  of 
a freeman.  And  when  he  has  conquered  wholly,  be- 
come the  master  of  all  that  is  evil  in  and  around  him, 
become  a freeman  in  Christ  Jesus,  then  God,  at  the 
dose  of  life’s  great  battle,  will  bring  him  up  to  the 
glory  beyond,  where  all  the  Christian  heroes  are  gath- 
ering, to  wear  the  garlands  of  victory  evermore. 

Innumerable  blessings  surround  us  all  the  time, 
and  these  we  should  not  forget  in  our  ardent  desires 
to  reach  those  just  in  advance.  The  word  of  sympa- 
thy, the  true  friend,  the  sunshine,  and  all  the  other 
countless  small  joys  of  to-day,  should  not  be  allowed 
to  pass  unheeded.  To-morrow  may,  indeed,  bring 
unexpected  pleasures  if  we  improve  and  enjoy  the 
present.  To  neglect  the  golden  opportunities  of  to- 
day may  bring  to  us  nought  but  pain  and  remorse. 
Heed  not  the  stories  of  fiction  and  romance,  but  let  us 
do  our  duty  in  the  present.  While  we  are  in  the 
world  we  have  to  do  with  the  world,  but  let  us  do  with 
its  living  realities,  and  not  with  that  which  fancy  paints, 
or  the  imagination  depicts  in  such  glowing  and  bril- 
liant colors.  Grasp  the  attainable,  if  it  be  a laudable 
object,  and  reach  not  after  that  which  reason  and 
intelligence  declare  can  never  be  attained.  Reject 
not  the  friend  .who  reaches  out  a hand  and  offers  his 
sympathy ; it  is  better  far  than  the  friendship  for 
which  you  pay  a price. 

There  is  a lack  of  ordinary  business  shrewdness 
on  the  part  of  some  Christian  men  and  some  Christian 


COMMON  SENSE.  I Og 

institutions  which  is  simply  amazing.  It  exhibits  itself 
in  loose  management  and  want  of  provision — in  letting 
things  drift,  and  trusting  in  luck  baptized  with  the 
name  of  Providence;  and  though  by  a wretched  carica- 
ture of  faith  this  is  miscalled  a “life  of  trust,”  it  is 
nothing  but  a religious  Micawberism,  that  folds  its 
hands  and  expects  something  to  “turn  up.” 

“God  helps  those  who  help  themselves.”  There 
is  no  warrant  in  scripture  or  in  history  for  disregard 
of  the  ordinary  laws  of  security  and  success.  At  the 
gathering  of  one  of  the  great  benevolent  societies  a 
few  years  ago,  the  exceedingly  sensible  proposition 
was  made  to  effect  life  insurances  in  the  case  of  its 
missionaries.  The  suggestion  was  vehemently  op- 
posed by  one  of  the  “fathers  in  grace,”  who  argued 
that  “those  who  were  doing  the  Lord’s  work  ought  to 
trust  the  future  of  their  families  to  the  Lord’s  care,” 
and  not  be  guilty  of  such  an  impious  forestalling  of 
Divine  Providence  as  an  actual  business  arrangement 
for  their  possible  wants.  Shame  to  say  it,  the  good 
brother’s  wretched  logic  prevailed,  and  the  proposition 
was  lost;  but  he  himself  soon  after  died,  leaving  his 
family  without  a dollar,  dependent  upon  the  charity 
of  the  world  for  the  barest  necessaries  of  food  and 
clothing. 

The  world  goes  on  year  after  year.  We  can  use 
its  forces,  and  shape  and  mould  them,  and  perfect  this 
thing  or  that,  but  we  cannot  make  new  forces;  we  only 
use  the  tools  we  find  to  carve  the  wood  we  find.  There 
is  nothing  new;  we  discover  and  combine  and  use. 
Here  is  the  wild  fruit — the  same  fruit  at  heart  as  that 


I IO 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


with  which  the  gardener  wins  his  prize.  The  world  is 
the  same  world.  You  find  a diamond,  but  the  diamond 
was  there  a thousand  years  ago;  you  did  not  make  it 
by  finding  it.  We  grow  spiritually,  until  we  grasp 
some  new  great  truth  of  God;  but  it  was  always  true, 
and  waited  for  us  until  we  came.  What  is  there  new 
and  strange  in  the  world  except  ourselves?  Our 
thoughts  are  our  own ; God  gives  our  life  to  us  moment 
by  moment,  but  he  gives  it  to  be  our  own. 

“Ye  on  your  harps  must  learn  to  hear 
A secret  chord  that  mine  will  bear.” 

The  years  which  we  spend  here  in  doing  our  work 
depend  to  a great  extent  on  the  way  we  manage  our- 
selves. If  we  lead  a strained  and  jerky  life,  we  soon 
wear  out  and  drop  by  the  wayside.  If  we  look  care- 
fully about  us,  take  full  note  of  the  work  we  are  to 
do,  and  then  do  it  calmly  and  deliberately,  “never 
resting,  never  wasting,”  as  Goethe  used  to  sing,  we 
shall  live  double  the  ordinary  working  years  of  the 
average  spasmodic  American.  To  suppose  that  a 
man  is  immortal  until  his  work  is  done  depends  en- 
tirely upon  three  things:  the  kind  of  a man  he  is,  the 
kind  of  work  he  is  doing,  and  the  way  he  does  it.  A 
bad  or  foolish  man,  or  a capable  man  working  un- 
wisely, has  no  reason  or  scripture  on  his  side  that  he 
will  live  out  half  his  days. 

In  the  pocket-book  of  the  Hon.  Stephen  Allen,  who 
was  drowned  from  on  board  the  “Henry  Clay,”  was 
found  a printed  slip,  apparently  cut  from  a newspaper, 
a copy  of  which  we  give  below: 

“Keep  good  company,  or  none.  Never  be  idle. 


COMMON  SENSE. 


I I I 


If  your  hands  can’t  be  usefully  employed,  attend  to 
the  cultivation  of  your  mind.  Always  speak  the  truth. 
Make  few  promises.  Live  up  to  your  engagements. 
Keep  your  own  secrets,  if  you  have  any.  When  you 
speak  to  a person  look  him  in  the  face.  Good  com- 
pany and  good  conversation  are  the  very  sinews  of 
virtue.  Good  character  is  above  all  things  else.  Your 
character  cannot  be  essentially  injured  except  by  your 
own  acts.  If  any  one  speaks  evil  of  you,  let  your  life 
be  so  that  none  will  believe  him.  Drink  no  kind  of 
intoxicating  liquors.  Ever  live  (misfortune  excepted) 
within  your  income.  When  you  retire  to  bed  think 
over  what  you  have  been  doing  during  the  day.  Make 
no  haste  to  be  rich  if  you  would  prosper.  Small  and 
steady  gains  give  competency,  with  a tranquil  mind. 
Never  play  at  any  game  of  chance.  Avoid  temptation 
through  fear  you  may  not  withstand  it.  Earn  money 
before  you  spend  it.  Never  run  into  debt  unless  you 
see  a way  to  get  out  again.  Never  borrow  if  you  can 
possibly  avoid  it.  Do  not  marry  until  you  are  able  to 
support  a wife.  Never  speak  evil  of  any  one.  Be 
just  before  you  are  generous.  Keep  yourself  inno- 
cent if  you  would  be  happy.  Save  when  you  are 
young,  to  spend  when  you  are  old.  Read  over  the 
above  maxims  at  least  once  a week.” 

I would  rather  that  my  boy  possessed  good  com- 
mon sense  to  start  him  in  life  than  plenty  of  money. 
If  he  has  not  this  common  sense,  no  amount  of  train- 
ing will  greatly  alter  his  condition  in  this  respect. 
When  I hear  a father  call  his  child  a ninny,  a block- 
head, a simpleton,  a stupid  donkey,  or  a fool  (as  some 


I I 2 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


parents  will  when  they  forget  themselves),  it  occurs  to 
me  that  such  remarks  rather  reflect  on  the  head  of  the 
family.  The  child,  however,  usually  knows  very  well 
that  his  father  is  only  excited  and  does  not  mean  what 
he  says. 

The  next  desirable  requisite  in  my  child’s  outfit 
would  be  a naturally  cheerful  disposition  ; not  that  I 
prefer  the  natural  to  the  cultivated,  for  I do  not.  Cul- 
tivated cheerfulness  is  a charming  part  of  any  one’s 
character,  yet  the  natural  is  the  surest,  since  I am  very 
doubtful  as  to  my  being  able  to  teach  him  how  to  ac- 
quire it.  I should  try  to  be  cheerful  myself,  and  thus 
induce  him  never  to  look  on  the  gloomy  side  of  life. 

If  the  sun  is  going  down,  look  up  at  the  stars  ; if  the 
earth  is  dark,  keep  your  eyes  on  heaven.  With  God’s 
presence,  and  God’s  promises,  a man  or  a child  may 
be  cheerful  — 

“ Never  despair  when  fog’s  in  the  air ! 

A sunshiny  morning  will  come  without  warning.” 

Mind  what  you  run  after.  Never  be  content  with 
a bubble  that  will  burst,  or  a firework  that  will  end  in 
smoke  and  darkness.  Get  that  which  you  can  keep, 
and  which  is  worth  keeping  — 

“ Something  sterling,  that  will  stay 
When  gold  and  silver  fly  away.” 

To  wait  before  you  bestow  liberty,  or  political 
rights,  until  the  recipients  are  fit  to  employ  them 
aright,  is  to  resolve  not  to  go  into  the  water  until  you 
can  swim.  You  must  make  up  your  mind  to  encoun- 
ter very  many  evils  at  first,  and  for  some  time,  while 
men  are  learning  to  use  the  advantages  that  are  con- 


SELF-CONTROL. 


113 

ferred  on  them.  “But  on  the  other  hand,”  says  a mod- 
ern writer,  “ this  error  of  taking  some  step  prema- 
turely, or  of  doing  at  one  stride  what  would  better 
have  been  done  gradually,  arises  often,  with  sensible 
men,  from  a sense  of  the  shortness  and  uncertainty  of 
life  (political  or  individual)  and  an  impatience  to  'see 
of  the  labor  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied,’  instead  of 
leaving  his  designs  to  be  carried  into  execution,  or  to 
be  completed , by  others,  who  may  perhaps,  he  fears, 
not  do  the  work  so  well,  or  may  be  defeated  by  some 
rally  of  opponents.” 

SELF-(§ONYI^OIi. 

He  that  would  govern  others,  first  should  be  the 
master  of  himself. 

The  basis  of  a useful  life  must  be  a vigorous  and 
wholesome  discipline  in  youth.  It  does  not  matter 
much  in  what  department  of  business  a young  man 
commences  life.  If  he  will  only  cultivate  his  faculties 
he  may  rise  to  the  head  of  his  profession,  and  if  that 
profession  be  unworthy  of  him,  he  will  at  last  escape 
from  it  altogether. 

The  heroic  self-control  which  “dies  and  makes  no 
sign”  is  a virtue  of  which  very  few  are  capable.  As  I 
once  heard  a small  commentator  remark  on  the  poem 
of  Enoch  Arden : “Yes,  it  was  very  good  of  Enoch 

not  to  tell  his  story  until  he  died ; but,  mamma,  what  a 
pity  he  didn’t  die  and  say  nothing  at  all ! ” 


1 14 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


The  true  Christian  service  is  not  rendered,  pri- 
marily, because  it  is  pleasant  or  brings  honor  to  self, 
or  even  because  our  fellow-workers  are  agreeable,  or 
those  we  benefit  grateful ; but  because  Jesus  asks  the 
service,  and  others  need  it.  In  this  spirit  let  us  meet 
friction.  We  shall  be  enabled,  in  a good  degree,  to 
do  our  duty  and  leave  the  event  to  God,  without  wear- 
ing care.  Worriment  is  the  worst  friction,  except  evil 
passion.  We  shall  learn  to  bear  and  forbear.  Our 
object  being  to  honor  the  Lord  and  bless  souls,  we 
shall  disregard  personal  slights,  little  unpleasantnesses 
(and  great  ones,  too,  if  need  be),  and  work  right  on  in 
the  Master’s  spirit.  Only  in  this  way  can  we  acquire 
that  self-control  which  friction  cannot  excite  to  indis- 
creet speech  or  foolish  act.  Only  so  can  we  show  that 
gentleness  of  manner  which,  when  it  covers  resolute 
firmness,  gives  its  possessor  the  power,  not  only  to 
rule  others,  but  to  confer  a favor  on  them  by  so 
doing. 

Never  show  that  you  feel  a slight.  This  is  worldly- 
wise  as  well  as  Christian  ; for  no  one  but  a mean  per- 
son will  put  a slight  on  another,  and  such  a person  al- 
ways profoundly  respects  the  person  who  is  uncon- 
scious of  his  feeble  spite.  Never  resent  publicly  a 
lack  of  courtesy ; it  is  in  the  worst  taste.  What  you 
do  privately  about  dropping  such  an  acquaintance 
must  be  left  to  yourself. 

To  a person  of  noble  mind  the  contests  of  society 
must  ever  seem  poor  and  spurious  as  they  think  of 
these  narrow  enmities  and  low  political  maneuvers  ; 
but  we  know  that  they  exist  and  that  we  must  meet 


SELF-CONTROL. 


115 

them.  Temper,  detraction  and  small  spite  are  as  vul- 
gar on  a Turkey  carpet  and  in  a palace  as  they  could 
be  in  a tenement  house  ; nay,  worse ; for  the  educated 
contestants  know  better.  But,  that  they  exist  we  know 
as  well  as  we  know  that  the  diphtheria  rages.  We 
must  only  reflect  philosophically  that  it  takes  all  sorts 
of  people  to  make  a world  ; that  there  are  good  people, 
rank  and  file  ; that  there  is  a valiant  army  and  a noble 
navy ; that  there  are  also  pirates  who  will  board  the 
best  ships,  and  traitors  in  every  army ; and  that  we 
must  be  ready  for  them  all ; and  that  if  we  live  in  a 
crowd  we  must  propitiate  that  crowd. 

Never  show  a factious  or  peremptory  irritability  in 
small  things.  Be  patient,  if  a friend  keeps  you  wait- 
ing. Bear,  as  long  as  you  can,  heat  or  a draft,  rather 
than  make  others  uncomfortable.  Do  not  be  fussy 
about  your  supposed  rights  ; yield  a disputed  point  of 
precedence.  All  society  has  to  be  made  up  of  these 
concessions ; they  are  your  unnumbered  friends  in  the 
long  run. 

We  are  not  always  wrong  when  we  quarrel ; but  if 
we  meet  our  deadliest  foe  at  a friend’s  house,  we  are 
bound  to  treat  him  with  perfect  civility.  That  is  neu- 
tral ground.  Never  by  word  or  look  disturb  your 
hostess  ; this  is  an  occasional  duplicity  which  is  or- 
dered by  the  laws  of  society.  And,  in  all  honesty, 
cultivate  a graceful  salutation,  not  too  familiar,  in  a 
crowd.  Do  not  kiss  your  friend  in  a crowd  ; be  grave 
and  decorous  always.  Burke  said  that  manners  were 
more  important  than  laws.  “ Manners  are  what  vex 
or  soothe,  comfort  or  purify,  exalt  or  debase,  barbarize 


I I 6 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

or  refine  us  by  a constant,  steady,  uniform,  insensible 
operation,  like  the  air  we  breathe.” 

Never  say  anything  you  would  be  ashamed  to  utter 
in  the  presence  of  ladies  and  gentlemen.  We  seek  to 
control  others,  yet  how  few  of  us  are  masters  of  our- 
selves. Adversity  borrows  its  sharpest  sting  from  our 
impatience. 

A bridle  is  very  necessary  in  guiding  and  restrain- 
ing an  unruly  horse;  and  it  is  very  needful  in  con- 
trolling that  unruly  member,  the  tongue.  “Don’t  go 
without  the  bridle,  boys,”  was  my  grandfather’s  favor- 
ite bit  of  advice.  If  he  heard  any  one  cursing  or 
swearing,  or  given  to  much  vain  and  foolish  talk,. 
“That  man  has  lost  his  bridle,”  he  would  say.  “With- 
out a bridle  the  tongue,  though  a little  member,  ‘boast- 
eth  great  things.’  It  is  an  unruly  member,  ‘full  of 
deadly  poison.’  Put  a bridle  on,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
best  servants  body  and  soul  can  have.  ‘I  will  keep 
my  mouth  with  a bridle,’  said  King  David.  Be  sure, 
too,  to  keep  a bridle  on  your  appetite.  Don’t  let  it  be 
your  master.  And  don’t  neglect  to  have  one  for  your 
passions,  or  they  will  get  unmanageable,  driving  you 
down  a headlong  course  to  ruin.”  My  grandfather 
was  speaking  of  the  bridle  of  self-control.  Good  par- 
ents try  to  train  and  restrain  their  children;  and  you 
can  generally  tell  by  the  children’s  behavior  whether 
they  have  such  wise  and  faithful  parents.  But  parents 
cannot  do  everything.  Boys  and  girls  must  have  their 
own  bridles;  they  must  learn  to  check  and  govern 
themselves.  Self-Government  is  the  most  difficult  and 
the  most  important  government  to  teach  us ; but  it 


SELF-CONTROL. 


n7 

becomes  easier  every  day  if  you  practice  it  with  a 
steady,  resolute  will,  and  a firm  trust  in  Him  who  alone 
can  teach  us  wisely  to  rule  our  own  spirits. 

If  it  is  a small  sacrifice  for  you  to  give  up  drinking 
wine,  do  it  for  the  sake  of  others  ; if  it  is  a great  sac- 
rifice, do  it  for  your  own  sake.  It  is  easier  to  suppress 
the  first  impure  desire  than  to  satisfy  all  that  follow. 

One  of  the  most  important,  but  one  of  the  most 
difficult  things  for  a powerful  mind  is,  to  be  its  own 
master.  Minerva  should  always  be  at  hand,  to  re- 
strain Achilles  from  blindly  following  his  impulses  and 
appetites,  even  those  which  are  moral  and  intellectual, 
as  well  as  those  which  are  animal  and  sensual.  A pond 
may  lie  quiet  in  a plain  ; but  a lake  wants  mountains 
to  compass  and  hold  it  in. 

He  is  a fool  who  cannot  be  angry  ; but  he  is  a wise 
man  who  will  not.  The  constancy  of  sages  is  nothing 
but  the  art  of  locking  up  their  agitation  in  their  hearts. 
There  are  few  people  who  are  more  often  in  the 
wrong-  than  those  who  cannot  endure  to  be  so. 

Sometimes  too  much  advice  is  given,  but  he  or  she 
lacks  self-control  and  the  true  spirit,  who  does  not  take  it 
kindly.  Some  boys  and  girls  think  they  know  a great 
deal  more  than  they  really  do,  and  persons  who 
have  had  experience  should  be  courteously  listened 
to,  even  if  their  ideas  are  old-fashioned,  as  they 
sometimes  are. 

A well-known  Bostonian  was  writing  about  a place 
where  he  had  never  been,  and  thus  got  a matter  wrong. 
A friend,  in  thorough  kindness,  called  his  attention  to 
it,  when  he  became  very  indignant.  Such  a man  has 


Y/ELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


I IS 


neither  a big  heart  nor  a well-balanced  mind.  A real 
gentleman  or  lady  knows  how  to  take  all  suggestions 
kindly. 


The  great  need  of  the  age,  says  a writer  in  our 
current  literature,  is  men,  business  men,  men  of  practi- 
cal sense,  men  of  push  and  energy,  men  who  can  grasp 
the  details  of  business  and  carry  it  forward  to  a suc- 
cessful issue. 

This  is  a just  and  reasonable  demand  ; for  it  is  meny 
in  the  highest  sense,  who  are  to  make  the  world  bright- 
er and  better  in  every  way. 

John  Ploughman  says:  “A  hard  working  young 
man  with  his  wits  about  him  will  make  money,  while 
others  will  do  nothing  but  lose  it.  ‘Who  loves  his 
work  and  knows  how  to  spare,  may  live  and  flourish 
anywhere.’  As  to  a little  trouble,  who  expects  to 
find  cherries  without  stones,  or  roses  without  thorns  ? 
Who  would  win  must  learn  to  bear.  Idleness  lies  in 
bed  sick  of  the  mulligrubs,  where  industry  finds  health 
and  wealth.  The  dog  in  the  kennel  barks  at  flies  ; the 
hunting  dog  does  not  know  that  they  are  there. 
Laziness  waits  till  the  river  is  dry,  and  never  gets  to 
market.” 

Young  man,  don’t  be  afraid  that  honest,  legitimate 
overwork  will  shorten  your  days.  It  is  better  to  wear 
out  in  a home,  built  up  by  your  own  efforts,  at  the  age 


Wanted,  (Ban. 


WANTED,  A MAN. 


1 1 9 

of  sixty-five,  than  it  is  to  rust  out  in  the  poor-house 
five  years  later. 

A leading  Baptist  paper  has  the  following  : “ The 
demand  for  ministers  for  the  first  places  was  never 
greater  in  our  denomination  than  it  is  to-day.  If  one 
of  our  leading  pulpits  becomes  vacant  the  country  is 
canvassed  from  Maine  to  Florida  for  a worthy  man 
for  the  place.  There  never  was  so  much  room  up- 
stairs in  the  Baptist  denomination  as  now.  Ministers 
abound,  but  not  of  the  kind  needed.  For  any  average 
place  vacant  there  are  a dozen  applications.  But  pul- 
pit committees  of  the  leading  churches  know  that  they 
have  a hard  task  before  them  ; they  are  virtually  lim- 
ited to  a few  men.  The  men  they  want  they  can’t 
get ; the  men  they  can  easily  get  they  do  not  at  all 
want.” 

The  greatest  want  of  this  age  is  men.  Men  who 
are  not  for  sale.  Men  who  are  honest,  sound  from 
centre  to  circumference,  true  to  the  heart’s  core.  Men 
who  will  condemn  wrong  in  friend  or  foe,  in  themselves 
as  well  as  others.  Men  whose  consciences  are  steady 
as  the  needle  to  the  pole.  Men  who  will  stand  for  the 
right  if  the  heavens  totter  and  the  earth  reels.  Men 
who  can  tell  the  truth  and  look  the  devil  right  in  the 
eye.  Men  that  never  brag  nor  run.  Men  that  neither 
swagger  nor  flinch.  Men  who  can  have  courage  with- 
out whistling  for  it,  and  joy  without  shouting  to  bring 
it.  Men  in  whom  the  current  of  everlasting  life  runs 
still,  and  deep  and  strong.  Men  careful  of  God’s  hon- 
or and  careless  of  men’s  applause.  Men  who  know 
their  duty  and  do  it.  Men  who  know  their  places  and 


I 20 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


fill  them.  Men  who  will  not  lie.  Men  who  are  not  too 
lazy  to  work,  nor  too  proud  to  be  poor.  Men  who  are 
willing  to  eat  what  they  have  earned,  and  wear  what 
they  have  paid  for.  Men  whose  feet  are  on  the  ever- 
lasting rock.  Men  who  are  strong  with  divine 
strength,  wise  with  the  wisdom  that  cometh  from  above, 
and  loving  with  the  love  of  Christ.  Men  of  God. 

The  large  majority  of  men  do  not  use  a tithe  of 
the  power  they  possess.  Their  talents  are  mostly  in  a 
napkin.  One  of  the  wealthiest  men  in  Wall  street 
to-day  broke  down  in  business  a good  many  years 
a£0.  He  went  into  an  office  where  he  was  well  ac- 
quainted,  and  said  to  the  members  of  the  firm  that  he 
had  no  bread  for  his  family.  “ I am  ready  to  go  mes- 
sages for  you,  or  perform  any  other  service.”  He 
hung  up  his  coat  there,  and  commenced  work  around 
the  lowest  rung  of  the  ladder.  Previously  this  man’s 
check  was  accepted  anywhere  on  the  street.  You 
may  be  sure  such  a man  gradually  mounted  up. 

Over  in  Boston  a like-minded  man  fell  out.  He 
was  without  bread,  and  soon  would  be  without  shoes, 
unless  he  wakened  up  and  stirred  his  energies.  He 
was  a bookkeeper,  and  at  one  time  earned  a handsome 
salary.  What  did  he  do  ? This  he  did.  He  took 
a cotton -hook  and  went  down  to  the  wharf  to 
load  and  unload  cotton  at  so  much  an  hour.  Behold 
another  man  with  grit.  The  owners  of  the  cotton 
and  the  ship  eyed  this  hero.  Soon  the  decree  went 
forth  : Come  up  higher.  He  resumed  his  quill,  and 
laid  aside  the  cotton-hook.  Discouragement  never 
weakened  the  Boston  boy.  Whiners,  with  hanging 


WANTED,  A MAN. 


I 2 I 


lips  and  chicken  hearts  who  cure  their  troubles  with 
the  bottle  or  the  pistol,  are  pitiful  creatures,  who  should 
never  have  been  born. 

Ambition  is  a good  thing  if  it  act  under  moral 
limits  and  proposes  to  itself  worthy  ends.  But  suc- 
cess in  a mere  worldly  career  ought  not  to  be  enough 
for  a young  man’s  ambition.  It  is  not  improper  for 
one  to  begin  life  with  an  ardent  purpose  to  obtain 
wealth.  But  there  should  be  something  higher  than 
that  before  every  young  man,  and  that  is  character. 
A man’s  own  self  is  more  valuable  to  him  than  any 
amount  of  riches.  Wealth  is  not  an  auxiliary  to  hap- 
piness. A man’s  own  nature  is  the  primary  agent  in 
the  production  of  satisfaction.  Thousands  of  men 
get  rich  without  happiness.  Other  thousands  gain 
happiness  without  ever  becoming  rich. 

You  are  placed  in  life  to  build  up  your  manhood. 
All  right  industries,  all  care  and  enterprise,  all  hopes, 
fears  and  sorrows,  are  formative  influences — lessons 
which  Providence  sets  to  men  in  the  school  of  life;  and 
while  they  may  result  in  producing  wealth,  they  have 
failed  of  their  end  if  they  do  not  produce  manliness. 

More  men  stumble  for  want  of  moral  qualities 
than  for  want  of  business  capacity.  Men  do  not  put 
their  standard  of  integrity  high  enough.  They  do  not 
cling  to  it  with  enough  severity.  A good  character  is 
to  a man  what  a pontoon  train  is  to  an  army.  An 
army  may  march  for  days  without  needing  it,  and  it 
may  even  seem  a hindrance;  but  the  first  broad  and 
deep  river  reveals  its  value. 

The  good  old  book  cautions  men  about  “making 


122 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


haste  to  be  rich.”  To  do  one  any  good,  riches  must 
be  earned.  We  must  render  a fair  equivalent  of  ser- 
vice for  every  dollar.  Money  got  by  gambling,  by 
trick,  by  the  lower  forms  of  speculation,  seldom  stays 
by  a man.  Every  young  man  should  be  willing  to 
wait  till  he  has  fairly  earned  his  money  by  good  hard 
work,  and  enough  of  it. 

Thousands  of  men  breathe,  move  and  live;  pass 
off  the  stage  of  life  and  are  heard  of  no  more.  Why? 
They  did  not  a particle  of  good  in  the  world;  and 
none  were  blest  by  them;  none  could  point  to  them  as 
the  instruments  of  their  redemption;  not  a line  they 
wrote,  not  a word  they  spoke,  could  be  recalled,  and 
so  they  perished — their  light  went  out  in  darkness, 
and  they  were  not  remembered  more  than  the  insects 
of  yesterday.  Will  you  thus  live  and  die?  Live  for 
something.  Do  good  and  leave  behind  you  a monu- 
ment of  virtue  that  the  storm  of  time  can  never 
destroy.  ‘ 

Write  your  name  by  kindness,  love  and  mercy  on 
the  hearts  of  the  thousands  you  come  in  contact  with 
year  by  year,  and  you  will  never  be  forgotten.  No; 
your  name,  your  deeds,  will  be  as  legible  on  the  hearts 
you  leave  behind  as  the  stars  on  the  brow  of  evening. 
Good  deeds  will  shine  as  bright  on  the  earth  as  the 
stars  of  heaven. 

The  most  splendid  creation  of  God  is  a good,  great 
man  ; higher  is  he  than  the  sun;  or  the  stars,  or  the 
shining  glory  of  the  firmament.  The  most  perfect 
specimen  of  athletic  training  ever  produced,  if  bone 
and  flesh  and  sinew  are  his  all,  is  but  one  third  a man, 


PENNY  WISE,  POUND  FOOLISH. 


123 


and  useless  to  society.  Send  him  to  the  schools  and 
store  his  mind  full,  he  is  but  two-thirds  a man,  and 
dangerous  as  well  as  useless.  Put  Christ  in  his  heart, 
to  control  and  urge  his  purpose,  and  you  have  an  ideal 
man. 


Ei?ENNY  ft^ISE,  E?OUND  FOOLISH. 

Of  course,  every  virtue  (like  every  coin)  has  its 
counterfeit.  This  holds  true  of  frugality.  There  is  a 
true  frugality,  and  there  is  a false.  Our  saving  may, 
perhaps,  be  more  apparent  than  real.  A man  might 
walk  from  Philadelphia  to  Pittsburg,  and  save  his  car- 
fare ; but  his  expenses  for  maintenance  on  his  way 
would  leave  him  but  a small  margin  of  profit.  We 
may  save  a trifle  in  money,  but  at  a great  cost  in  time, 
and  (in  the  long  run)  in  money.  One  may  save  six 
cents  in  street-car  fare,  but  may  miss  an  engagement, 
and  thus  lose  a vast  amount  of  time  and  money.  One 
may  reject  the  idea  of  hiring  a carriage  as  madness; 
he  may  walk  through  mud  and  rain,  and  in  the  end  find 
that  he  has  spoiled  his  clothes  to  an  extent  far  beyond 
the  expense  of  the  carriage.  If  a man  is  caught  in  a 
shower,  he  may  hesitate  at  the  expense  of  buying  an 
umbrella,  yet  the  economy  may  be  wasteful. 

As  to  one’s  dress,  there  are  economies  that  are 
economies  and  there  are  economies  that  are  no  econo- 
mies. It  may  seem  extravagant  to  have  a multiplicity 
of  dresses  ; and  yet  it  may  be  real  economy.  It  would 
certainly  be  very  wasteful  to  have  only  one  dress,  and 


1 24  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

to  use  this  dress  for  all  purposes.  It  would  be  too 
good  for  some  occasions,  and  not  good  enough  for 
others.  A dress  that  will  wear  is  better  economy  than 
a cheaper  dress  that  comes  to  pieces.  It  costs  no  more 
to  make  a good  dress  than  a poor  one,  and  the  former 
is  worth  more  after  it  is  done. 

But  there  is  much  about  one’s  dress  that  is  merely 
matter  of  fancy  and  fashion,  and  that  does  not  concern 
health  or  comfort.  Here  there  is  a orood  chance  for 
economy.  A coat  or  a dress  at  a low  price  may  wear 
as  well  and  may  be  as  comfortable  as  one  much  more 
expensive. 

The  best  investment,  next  to  a good  conscience,  is 
health ; and  it  is  a very  wasteful  economy  that  saves 
at  the  expense  of  health.  It  is  very  foolish  to  delay 
employing  a physician,  and  thereby  to  entail  long  sick- 
ness and  measureless  expense.  It  is  very  foolish  to 
refuse  to  employ  a nurse,  and  to  try  to  save  by  having 
all  the  nursing  done  by  the  members  of  the  family,  or 
by  volunteer  friends,  who,  of  course,  are  ignorant  and 
inexperienced. 

It  is  a very  short-sighted  saving  for  the  mother  of 
a family  to  be  all  day  bending  over  the  weekly  mend- 
ing, darning  half  a peck  of  stockings,  and  bringing  on 
headache  and  backache,  and  at  the  same  time  being 
unable  to  see  to  the  house.  It  would  be  much  better 
economy  for  her  to  employ  some  one  to  do  this  mend- 
ing and  leave  her  free  for  things  that  no  one  but 
herself  can  do. 

It  is  not  wise  economy  for  a man  whose  capital  is 
in  his  brain,  to  stint  and  starve  his  brains.  Five  dol- 


PENNY  WISE,  POUND  FOOLISH.  1 25 

lars  spent  by  a young  professional  man  in  books  may 
add  one  thousand  dollars  to  his  income.  Five  dollars 
may  be  saved,  with  the  result  of  keeping  him  a poor 
'man  all  his  life. 

A father  may  save  a few  dollars  by  refusing  to 
make  the  home  inviting  for  his  children ; but  he  may 
spend  ten  times  that,  yes,  a hundred  times,  in  getting 
them  out  of  troubles  which  they  have  brought  on  by 
roaming  in  the  streets.  We  believe  in  economy;  but 
it  is  well  to  know  whether  it  is  real  economy  or  false. 

A celebrated  English  author  says:  We  have 

warped  the  word  economy  in  our  English  language 
into  a meaning  which  it  has  no  business  whatever  to 
bear.  In  our  use  of  it,  it  constantly  signifies  merely 
sparing  or  saving ; economy  of  money  means  saving 
money — economy  of  time,  sparing  time,  and  so  on. 
But  this  is  a wholly  barbarous  use  of  the  word — bar- 
barous in  a double  sense,  for  it  is  not  English  and  it  is 
bad  Greek.  Economy  no  more  means  saving  money 
than  it  means  spending  money.  It  means — the  admin- 
istration of  a house;  its  stewardship;  spending  or 
saving,  that  is,  whether  money  or  time,  or  anything 
else,  to  the  best  possible  advantage.  In  the  simplest 
and  clearest  definition  of  it,  economy,  whether  public 
or  private,  means  the  wise  management  of  labor ; and 
it  means  this  mainly  in  three  senses,  namely : first, 
applying  your  labor  rationally ; secondly,  preserving 
its  produce  carefully ; lastly,  distributing  its  produce 
carefully. 

Economy  does  not  mean  simply  carefulness  in  dress 
by  making  things  last  as  long  as  they  will,  but  has  a 


126  WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 

broader  meaning  than  this.  Time,  accomplishments 
and  opportunities  are  talents  for  which  you  will  be  held 
responsible  to  Him  who  has  given  them.  For  this 
reason  try  to  economize  them  well. 

The  duty  of  the  hour  is  plain.  First  in  our  own 
households  should  economy  be  practiced — not  that 
economy  which  considers  the  wants  of  the  pocket  and 
forgets  the  needs  of  the  soul,  not  that  economy  which 
satisfies  the  body  but  starves  the  spirit,  but  wise 
adjustment  of  the  claims  of  the  animal  and  the 
rational  man,  which,  while  it  clothes  the  body,  does 
not  allow  the  immortal  part  to  suffer.  All  retrench- 
ment should  not  begin  at  the  home  of  the  soul.  The 
Lord  should  not  be  cheated  to  enrich  the  worm.  That 
is  poor  economy  which  fills  the  coffers  of  the  carnal  by 
bankrupting  the  spiritual  man.  Mental  and  moral 
education  must  not  cease,  for  time  unimproved  here 
is  time  lost  forever;  moral  forces  must  not  be  weakened 
in  order  to  add  power  to  the  physical  engines. 

To  do  work  for  work’s  sake,  moderately,  levelly, 
rationally,  so  as  to  preserve  the  power  of  doing  it  for 
the  longest  term  that  nature  allows- -this,  the  noblest 
aim  a man  can  start  with,  becomes  often  swamped  in 
the  ignoble  one  of  working  rue  rely  to  be  superior  to 
somebody  else.  Thus  many  a man  who  has  earned, 
or  is  earning,  enough  to  live  comfortably,  and  bring 
up  his  children  well — and  sufficiently  well  off,  too,  to 
begin  with  a fair  start  where  their  father  did — goes  on 
slaving  and  toiling,  his  wife  aiding  and  abetting  him, 
in  order  to  maintain  them  in  the  luxury  to  which  he 
has  risen, — a paternal  devotion  which  has  its  touching 


PENNY  WISE,  POUND  FOOLISH.  1 27 

phase;  and  yet  it  is  as  blind  as  it  is  foolish.  The 
children  would  be  much  better  left  to  make  their  own 
way,  and  earn  their  own  bread,  like  their  father  before 
them. 

And  the  father  himself,  by  the  time  he  has  accumu 
lated  the  thirty,  forty,  or  fifty  thousand  which  he  has 
gradually  learned  to  consider  essential  to  happiness 
■ — she,  sly  jade!  has  slipped  away  from  him.  He 
catches  her,  but  she  is  like  the  crushed  butterfly  that 
his  boys  catch  under  their  caps;  all  her  beauty  is  gone. 
Utterly  worn  out  with  work,  he  can  neither  enjoy  life 
himself  nor  give  enjoyment  to  other  people.  The 
strain  of  occupation  gone,  his  weariness  becomes 
intolerable.  The  irritability  that  an  overtasked  body 
and  mind  superinduces  in  most  men,  makes  him,  not 
a delight,  but  an  actual  nuisance,  in  his  family.  Those 
“often  infirmities  ” which  he  had  once  no  time  to  think 
much  about  now  rise  up  like  ghosts  of  the  murdered 
to  torment  him  wherever  he  goes.  His  handsome 
house,  his  country  leisure  or  town  pleasure,  his  abun- 
dance of  friends,  and  his  flourishing  family,  are  to  him 
no  comfort,  no  resource.  He  has  burned  the  candle 
at  both  ends,  and  now  there  is  no  light  left  in  it;  it  just 
flickers  awhile,  and  then — drops  out. 

I ask  earnestly,  Is  this  picture  overdrawn?  Do  I 
not  paint  the  likeness — not  of  one,  but  of  hundreds — 
of  rich  men  among  our  acquaintances  in  this  “golden 
age?”  Midas  himself  could  not  have  more  bitterly 
applied  the  word. 

“The  Presbyterian  Banner,”  commenting  upon  the 
frequent  failure  of  rich  men’s  sons,  says  • “ The  great 


128 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


defect  in  the  families  referred  to  has  been  neglect  to 
train  the  children  to  habits  of  economy  and  industry. 
They  have  been  permitted  to  grow  up  in  idleness,  to 
spend  money  freely,  to  suppose  that  fashionable  enjoy- 
ments were  the  great  end  of  life,  and  to  be  without 
any  definite  employment  or  aim,  while  dissipation  very 
naturally  came  in  and  completed  the  work  of  ruin. 
But  the  evil  did  not  stop  with  themselves;  they  easily 
attracted  others  without  their  wealth  or  social  position 
to  their  circles,  and  by  contact  and  example  prevented 
them  from  rising-  in  the  world  and  made  them  even 
more  insignificant  and  worthless  than  themselves.” 
Never  do  evil  expecting  to  escape  the  consequent 
punishment  because  of  the  good  that  may  be  pro- 
duced. The  evil  you  sow  will  be  sure  to  return  an 
abundant  harvest;  good  seed  may  be  choked,  but  “ill 
weeds  grow  apace.”  People  are  prone  to  look  at  the 
evils  which  are  at  a distance  through  a telescope ; 
but  when  they  inspect  those  under  their  feet  they  turn 
the  instrument  the  other  end  to,  making  objects  near 
them  appear  small  and  insignificant  indeed. 

The  following  is  related  of  Father  Stephen  Paxson  : 
“ He  was  offered  at  one  time,  on  account  of  his 
extensive  acquaintance  with  the  West,  and  his  integ- 
rity of  character,  a partnership  in  the  purchase  of 
western  lands.  The  offer  was  declined,  because  it 
would  divert  him  from  the  Sabbath-school  work.  In 
after  years,  the  gentleman  who  had  made  the  offer 
showed  him  a memorandum  that  the  lands  had  pro- 
duced a revenue  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  ; but  Father 
Paxson,  drawing  his  note-book  from  his  pocket,  pointed 


THE  FARMER’S  HOME. 


I 29 

to  the  record  of  fifty  thousand  children  gathered  by 
him  into  Sabbath-schools,  and  triumphantly  exclaimed, 
‘ I would  not  alter  the  record,  nor  change  the  invest- 
ment.’” 

A gospel  that  costs  nothing  is  an  absurdity.  It 
costs.  It  cost  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  costs 
Christians  untold  and  nameless  sacrifices.  No  one 
can  afford  to  receive  it  without  giving  back  to  the 
world,  because  of  the  blessings  received.  The  theory 
that  movements  for  the  salvation  of  men  can  be 
advanced  by  any  such  rallying  cry  as  “No  pews  or  no 
collections”  is  a mistake,  if  it  is  not  worse.  Poverty 
is  the  result  of  such  surroundings.  A gospel  that 
costs  nothing  is  worth  nothing. 


©HE  FaI^MEI^’S  ^OME. 

Seek  not,  ye  sons  of  those  who  till  the  soil, 

For  other  fields  in  life  than  those  ye  reap  ! 

Better  by  far  the  sweat  of  honest  toil, 

The  rest  of  honest  labor’s  tranquil  sleep, 

Than  all  the  bubbles  of  the  worldling’s  dream  — 

The  cares  which  rack  the  statesman’s  anxious  brains  — 
The  uncertain  ventures  of  the  merchant’s  scheme. 

Or  all  the  doubtful  paths  for  fame  and  gain ! 


Agriculture  is  the  basis  of  national  strength  and 
wealth,  and  a most  certain  and  liberal  support  of  all 
who  follow  it  intelligently.  The  farmer  will  succeed 
who  makes  up  his  mind  that  the  whole  secret  of 
success  is  in  himself;  that  it  is  the  man  and  not  the 


130 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


business  that  tells.  He  will  succeed  if  he  sticks  close 
to  his  farm  as  the  mechanic  does  to  his  shop,  and 
not  expect  to  work  three  or  four  months  and  then 
take  his  ease  the  rest  of  the  year.  That  farmer  will 
succeed  who  takes  the  papers  and  digests  what  he 
reads,  and  is  not  afraid  of  new  ideas  and  new  methods 
of  industry.  He  will  succeed  if  it  is  his  intention  that 
whatever  he  sends  to  market  shall  be  the  very  best, 
and  so  made  and  put  up  that  when  seen  it  will  be 
captivating  for  its  freshness,  cleanliness  and  purity,  and 
will  be  unhesitatingly  taken  on  account  of  his  well- 
known  character  for  honesty  of  weight,  measure  and 
count.  Those  who  have  farms  may  think  themselves 
fortunate,  for  although  they  will  not  thereby  find 
sudden  roads  to  wealth,  they  will  certainly  prove  that 
persistent  farm  labor  will  bring  a sure  reward.  It  is 
worthy  of  notice  that  the  adventurer  and  speculator, 
with  blasted  hopes  and  shattered  health  and  fortune, 
have  in  the  end  to  come  back  to  the  farm  for  health 
and  safety. 

Happy  is  the  boy  who  has  been  reared  in  the 
healthful,  intelligent  atmosphere  of  a country  home. 
When  he  goes  back  to  it  after  many  days,  how  cor- 
dially he  is  greeted.  Every  hand  is  held  out  to  him, 
from  the  white-haired  grandfather  to  the  smiling  girl 
and  bashful  boy,  whom  he  does  not  know,  but  who 
have  heard  of  him. 

In  a moral  point  of  view,  the  life  of  the  agriculturist 
is  the  most  pure  and  holy  of  any  class  of  men  ; pure, 
because  it  is  the  most  healthful,  and  vice  can  hardly 
find  time  to  contaminate  it ; and  holy,  because  it  brings 


THE  FARMER’S  HOME. 


131 

the  Deity  perpetually  before  his  view,  giving  him 
thereby  the  most  exalted  notions  of  supreme  power, 
and  the  most  fascinating  and  endearing  view  of  moral 
benignity.  The  agriculturist  views  the  Deity  in  His 
works ; he  contemplates  the  divine  economy  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  seasons;  and  he  hails  nature 
immediately  presiding  over  every  object  that  strikes 
his  eyes ; he  witnesses  many  of  her  great  and  beau- 
teous operations,  and  her  reproductive  faculties ; his 
heart  insensibly  expands,  from  his  minute  acquaintance 
with  multifarious  objects,  all  in  themselves  original ; 
whilst  that  degree  of  retirement  in  which  he  is  placed 
from  the  bustling  haunts  of  mankind  keeps  alive  in  his 
breast  his  natural  affections,  unblunted  by  an  extensive 
and  perpetual  intercourse  with  man  in  a more  enlarged, 
and,  therefore,  in  a more  corrupt  state  of  society. 

The  risks  in  farming  are  comparatively  few.  There 
is  no  danger  of  ruin  arising  from  the  treachery  of 
business  associates.  The  farm,  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances, is^sure  to  furnish  enough  to  make  the 
family  comfortable,  and  extraordinary  circumstances, 
which  are  of  a providential  character  always,  are  very 
apt  to  exist.  The  farmer  is  engaged  in  the  production 
of  articles  which  the  public  must  have.  It  makes  no 
difference  what  else  the  people  do  without,  they  must 
have  bread.  They  can  wear  their  old  clothes,  but 
they  must  have  new  flour,  and  while  a depression  of 
the  times  may  limit  the  demand,  it  cannot  wholly 
destroy  it.  Thus  is  the  farmer  engaged  in  a business 
which  is  always  active. 

See  the  “young  farmers”  who  have  just  moved 


132 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


into  their  new  home,  and  with  conscious  pride  con- 
template its  beauties  at  the  close  of  day.  Although 
they  are  but  “ renters,”  beginning  life  with  small  store 
of  this  world’s  goods,  their  happy  hearts  and  ready 
hands  will  bring  them  an  abundance  of  peace  and 
prosperity.  There  is  something  in  the  pleasures  of 
the  country  that  reaches  much  beyond  the  gratification 
of  the  eye  — a something  that  invigorates  the  mind, 
that  erects  its  hopes,  that  allays  its  perturbations,  that 
mellows  its  affections;  and  it  will  generally  be  found 
that  our  happiest  schemes  and  wisest  resolutions  are 
formed  under  the  mild  influence  of  a country  scene 
and  the  soft  obscurities  of  rural  retirement. 

Every  farmer  should  manage  to  get  the  most  out 
of  his  occupation;  not  only  the  most  money,  but  the 
most  real  and  substantial  enjoyment;  the  most  intel- 
lectual culture;  the  most  happiness  for  him  and  his.  It 
should  be  so  managed  as  to  render  farm  life  attractive 
to  his  children,  so  as  to  make  them  contented  tillers  of 
the  soil;  contented  to  be  among  the  producers  of  the 
wealth  of  the  nation.  Money  hoarded  is  but  a poor 
compensation  for  minds  and  souls  dwarfed;  for  lives 
rendered  unlovely;  for  tastes  and  the  higher  aspira- 
tions extinguished.  And  we  trust  the  change  which 
has  been  going  on  in  this  respect  may  continue  until 
all  of  the  large  and  valuable  class  of  our  population 
engaged  in  agriculture  may  be  reached  and  benefited 
by  it. 

Dr.  Haygood  tells  this  suggestive  story : “ Last 

winter  we  passed  a field  where  a fifteen-dollar  plow 
was  standing  in  the  last  furrow  it  made.  There  it  had 


I 


THE  FARMER  S HOME. 


been  standing  for  months.  It  was  red  with  Fust — the 
stock  and  handles  black  with  mildew.  The  man’s 
wagons  were  out  in  the  yard  ; a McCormick  reaper 
was  divided,  part  in  the  yard,  part  in  the  field,  and 
part  under  shelter ; and  his  farm  under  mortgage  for 
the  guano  he  had  used  to  make  cotton  enough  to  pay 
for  the  tools  and  implements  he  bought  last  year ! 

His  smoke-house  was  in  Cincinnati,  his  corn-crib  in 
Chicago  ! The  few  hogs  he  had  were  in  his  garden  ; 
while  his  poor  cows — their  hair  turned  the  wrong 
way  in  premonition  of  their  death  in  the  spring — were 
drawn  up  in  a shivering  group  around  a pile  of  straw 
that  was  rotting  in  the  field ! There  were  five  dogs, 
and  not  a ram,  ewe,  wether  or  lamb,  black  sheep  or 
white  sheep,  in  sight!” 

The  hap-hazard,  careless  style  of  doing  work  so 
common  among  the  largest  class  of  farmers  would 
ruin  any  business  man  within  a year.  The  careless 
habits  of  farmers,  and  their  lack  of  proper  forethought, 
accounts  for  more  than  nine-tenths  of  the  proverbial 
“hard  times”  from  which  they  suffer.  Little  things 
are  neglected  and  wasted  that  would  be  saved  and 
cared  for  by  the  prosperous  merchant  or  railroad 
employe,  while  the  very  profusion  of  his  supply  / 
renders  the  farmer  extravagant  and  indolent.  Hours 
and  days  are  spent  in  running  to  town  or  to  the 
neighbors’  for  some  forgotten  thing  or  other  that 
ought  to  have  been  remembered  and  provided  for  in 
advance.  Time  is  the  most  valuable  thing  a farmer 
possesses,  and  yet  is  the  least  cared  for. 

Twenty  years  ago  the  state  of  Mississippi,  always 


1 34 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  Ti-.UIH. 


famous  for  its  cotton  yield,  contained  about  forty  thou- 
sand plantations,  averaging  three  hundred  and  seven 
acres  each  ; now  she  has  nearly  twice  as  many,  but  the 
average  size  is  only  half  that  of  i860.  The  number  of 
acres  under  cultivation  is  less  than  in  i860,  for  scarcely 
any  rough  land  has  been  cleared  and  some  plantations 
have  been  injured  by  broken  levees,  and  yet  the  cotton 
crop  is  about  twice  as  large  as  it  was  in  the  good  old 
times.  No  better  proof  could  be  wanted  to  establish 
the  desirability  of  decreasing  the  size  of  farms  and 
increasing  the  number  of  owners;  but  the  reason 
should  be  learned  elsewhere  as  in  the  South.  Whole 
counties  in  the  United  States  are  wretchedly  poor 
because  every  farmer  is  trying  to  handle  a “ quarter 
section”  — one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  — with  only 
enough  capital  and  working  force  to  properly  till  a 
quarter  as  much  soil. 

A farmer  with  two  poor  horses,  two  bad  plows,  a 
boy  or  two  or  a hired  man,  can  get  no  more  money 
out  of  a hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  than  from 
forty,  but  year  after  year  he  will  try  to  do  it  and 
succeed  only  in  getting  poorer.  The  big  farms  of 
California  have  been  the  subject  of  much  envious  talk, 
but  the  class  of  California  farmers,  aside  from  capital- 
ists, that  make  most  money  is  composed  of  men  who 
have  clustered  in  colonies,  where  scarcely  a single 
estate  exceeds  forty  acres. 

A great  deal  has  been  said  and  written  concerning 
the  rights  of  farmers’  boys,  but  nothing  about  the  girls. 
It  is  a common  thing  for  farmers  to  pay  their  sons  fair 
wages  for  their  work ; yet  the  daughters  do  not 


CITY  PEOPLE. 


T35 


receive  a dollar  from  month  to  month.  Why  should 
the  difference  exist  between  the  farmer’s  girl  and  boy? 
The  former  is  quite  as  much  entitled  to  a reward  for 
services  as  the  latter.  In  truth  tfie  farmer’s  girl  fre- 
quently is  the  more  valuable  of  the  two.  She  is 
expected  in  many  cases  to  arise  very  early,  get  break- 
fast, clean  up  the  house,  and  prepare  the  other  meals 
required  through  the  day,  or  if  not,  to  at  least  largely 
aid  in  all  these  household  duties.  In  addition  she  is 
looked  upon  by  father,  mother  and  brother  to  enter- 
tain company,  to  act  as  hostess,  at  least  as  a creditable 
second  to  the  mother.  While  she  may  be  the  pride  of 
the  family,  and  regarded  as  a sort  of  privileged 
character,  yet  much  is  expected  of  her  in  ten  thousand 
smaller  features  of  home  life.  Why,  then,  should  she 
not  be  encouraged  with  at  least  as  much  pay  as  the 
boy  ? In  addition  to  that,  the  farm  house  should  be  as 
attractive  as  possible  — with  a piano,  plenty  of  books, 
newspapers  and  pictures  ; cultivate  a taste  in  the  girls 
for  dowers,  etc.  These  features,  with  a moderate 
amount  of  work,  should  produce  a happy  home-farm 
life. 

©ity  People. 


I bless  God  for  cities.  Cities  have  been  as  lamps 
of  life  along  the  pathway  of  humanity  and  religion  ; 
within  them  science  has  given  birth  to  her  noblest  dis- 
coveries. Behind  their  walls  freedom  has  fought  her 
noblest  battles.  They  have  stood  on  the  surface  of 


136  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

the  earth  like  great  breakwaters,  rolling  back  or  turn- 
ing aside  the  swelling  tide  of  oppression.  Cities, 
indeed,  have  been  the  cradles  of  human  liberty.  They 
have  been  the  active  centers  of  almost  all  church  and 
state  reformation.  Having,  therefore,  no  sympathy 
with  those  who,  regarding  them  as  the  excrescences  of 
a tree,  or  the  tumors  of  disease,  would  raze  our  cities 
to  the  ground,  I bless  God  for  cities. 

In  cities  where  the  competition  in  business  and  the 
professions  is  the  greatest,  it  is  coming  to  be  more 
and  more  the  rule  that  the  successful  men  are  those 
who  are  born  and  bred  in  the  city,  and  thus  start  in  the 
race  for  wealth  and  fame  with  every  advantage.  The 
boy  from  the  country  has  generally  two  great  advan- 
tages, robust  health  and  industrious  habits.  But  the 
city-bred  boy  may  have  these  in  just  as  great  measure, 
and  is  sure  to  have  the  advantage  in  point  of  training 
and  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  the  world.  It  takes 
his  rival  several  years  to  reach  the  point  from  which 
he  is  able  to  start,  other  things  being  supposed  to  be 
equal. 

What  these  facts  and  figures  teach  is  simply  this: 
that  a boy  in  city  or  in  country,  who  is  trained  to 
work,  who  gets  the  discipline  of  will  that  comes  with 
that  training,  has  eighteen  chances  of  succeeding  in 
life,  where  the  boy  who  has  not  had  this  training  has 
one  chance. 

They  teach  also,  and  this  is  the  fact  that  I want 
you  all  to  notice,  that  you  cannot  afford  to  go  with  the 
majority  of  your  class,  unless  your  class  greatly 
changes  its  habits-  that  if  you  do  about  as  the  other 


CITY  PEOPLE. 


137 


fellows  of  your  class  do,  you  will  come  out  about 
where  the  other  fellows  of  your  class  come  out — and 
that  is  nowhere — crippled,  beaten,  distanced  in  the 
race  of  life. 

“We  have  seen,”  says  the  “Christian  Advocate,” 
“an  ingenuous  youth  changed  in  three  years  into  a 
profane,  vulgar,  licentious  man,  consumed  by  his  vices 
and  discharged  for  dishonesty.”  And  then  the  same 
goes  on  to  say:  “The  larger  portion  of  those  who  are 
coming  now  to  our  cities  will  be  corrupted.” 

Can  this  be  true?  Let  each  youth  who  has  his 
face  turned  cityward,  as  his  eye  meets  this,  pause, 
before  taking  another  step  forward.  But  this  need 
not  be  true  as  regards  yourself  if  you  choose  it  shall 
be  otherwise.  You  can  meet  and  grapple  with  the 
difficulties  even  of  a city  life,  and  come  off  conqueror. 
The  encounter  may  be  a sharp  one,  but  there  are 
props  of  a Christian  community  upon  every  hand; 
warm  hearts  waiting  to  welcome  you  if  you  seek 
them;  churches  with  wide  open  doors,  if  you  choose 
to  take  refuge  in  them.  Free  as  the  air  you  breathe 
are  the  benefits  of  this  Christian  land,  if  you  but  see 
fit  to  make  them  your  own.  The  youth  come  to  our 
cities  and  find  an  hundred  hells  waiting-  to  receive 
them;  but  so,  upon  the  other  hand  are  hundreds  of 
churches,  and  hundreds  of  Christian  homes,  and  hearts 
warm  and  true  by  the  thousands.  When  did  a young 
soul  seek  for  Christian  sympathy — mind,  we  say  seek 
— and  fail  to  find  it?  With  the  windows  of  our  soul 
open  toward  heaven,  what  wonder  that  the  light  falls 
in;  but  when  we  stand  with  those  windows  barred, 


138  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

while  the  apertures  toward  the  world  and  the  devil  are 
left  unguarded,  is  it  strange  that  Satan  gets  possession 
of  us?  One  cannot  keep  himself  under  the  influence 
of  the  true  things  of  life  and  not  become  benefited; 
neither  can  he  handle  pitch  and  not  become  contami- 
nated. But  because  pitch  exists,  does  that  make  it 
necessary  that  you  must  become  contaminated  ? Leave 
it  alone.  Be  a man , be  an  honest  man — more,  be  a 
Christian  man.  Don’t  be  afraid  of  mingling  with  the 
world.  Go  into  its  busiest  scenes,  and  make  them  the 
better  for  your  being  there,  and  then  as  your  soul 
grows  strong  by  conflict,  for  so  it  must,  feel  assured 
that  you  are  the  better  for  being  in  the  world — the 
great  battle-field  of  life. 

“ The  oak  grows  stronger 
By  the  winds  that  toss  its  branches.” 

No  man  need  wail  that  he  was  not  born  in  some 
other  country.  All  lands  have  their  attractions,  and 
every  home,  however  humble,  has  associated  with  it 
some  pleasant  recollections.  The  thatched  stone  cot- 
tage of  old  England  or  Ireland  is  ever  a picturesque 
object  to  the  American  eye,  and  if  it  does  not  contain 
all  the  modern  comforts  of  the  smart  American  house, 
it  is,  doubtless,  just  as  dear  to  those  who  were  born 
beneath  its  roof. 

One-fifth  of  the  American  people  are  said  to  live 
in  cities,  they  are  town  birds,  acquainted  with  smoky 
eaves  and  tasting  nature  in  the  parks.  Most  of  them 
come  from  the  country,  and  when  spring  time  comes, 
with  its  tender  foliage,  tranquil  skies,  soft  breezes, 
birds  and  flowers,  they  must  often  turn  to  the  woods 


CITY  PEOPLE. 


r39 


and  fields  with  longing  hearts  and  aching  bosoms. 
We  meet  in  the  crowded  street,  the  ill-ventilated 
theatre  or  the  brilliant  drawing-room,  a thought-worn 
face.  The  time  was,  if  an  English  lad,  when  he  may 
have  been  leaning  against  a cottage  lintel  in  small 
corduroys,  and  hungrily  eating  a bit  of  brown  bread 
and  bacon.  Perhaps  he  wishes  he  had  a chance  to  do 
so  again. 

Another  man,  no  longer  young,  while  wiping  his 
brow  and  walking  the  hot  pavements,  thinks  of  the 
fair  rounded  hills,  the  blooming  orchards,  the  merry 
river’s  bank,  the  field  flowers,  and  the  meadows  of  tall 
and  cool  grasses  in  his  New  England  home.  It  is  the 
summer  time  of  life  with  him  now,  the  burden  of  the 
day  is  upon  him,  and  business  cares  give  him  little 
time  for  dreaming.  The  many  anxieties  of  modern 
American  life  crush  out  much  that  is  sweet  and 
beautiful,  leaving  room,  let  us  hope,  for  the  good  and 
wise  in  thought  and  action. 

When  a young  man  sneers  at  the  backwoods  town 
in  which  he  was  born,  and  its  old-fashioned  ways, 
he  has  lost  the  best  part  of  his  manhood.  It  is  the 
ambition  of  many  a city  man  to  own  a comfortable 
home  some  time  in  the  country.  Tortured  with  dis- 
pepsia  and  worry  and  work,  the  business  man  of  the 
city  dreams  of  a life  of  enjoyment  in  the  sunny  air  of 
the  country,  and  longs  for  the  time  to  come  when  his 
hands  and  his  face  may  be  brown  and  his  stomach 
strong  ; his  head  clear  and  his  nerves  settled. 

In  cities,  people  are  brought  up  in  total  ignorance 
of,  and  blamable  indifference  for,  country  affairs ; they 


140 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


can  scarce  distinguish  flax  from  hemp,  wheat  from  rye, 
and  neither  from  barley ; eating,  drinking  and  dress- 
ing are  their  qualifications ; pastures,  copses,  after- 
grass, inning  harvest,  are  Gothic  words  to  them.  If 
to  some  of  them  you  talk  of  weights,  scales,  measures, 
interest  and  books  of  rates,  to  others  of  appeals,  peti- 
tions, decrees  and  injunctions,  they  will  prick  up  their 
ears.  They  pretend  to  know  the  world,  and,  though 
it  is  more  safe  and  commendable,  are  ignorant  of 
nature,  her  beginnings,  growths,  gifts  and  bounties. 
This  ignorance  is  often  voluntary,  and  founded  on  the 
conceit  they  have  of  their  own  callings  and  professions. 

We  close  this  subject  with  the  following  quotation 
from  Mr.  Spurgeon: 

“I  have  heard  tell  of  a man  who  did  not  know  a 
great  A from  a bull’s  foot,  and  I know  a good  many 
who  certainly  could  not  tell  what  great  A or  little  A 
either  may  mean  ; but  some  of  these  people  are  not 
the  most  ignorant  in  the  world,  for  all  that.  For 
instance,  they  know  a cow’s  head  from  its  tail,  and  one 
of  the  election  gentleman  said  lately  that  the  candidate 
from  London  did  not  know  that.  They  know  that 
turnips  don’t  grow  on  trees,  and  they  can  tell  a man- 
gold-wurzel  from  a beet-root,  and  a rabbit  from  a hare, 
and  there  are  fine  folk  who  play  on  the  pianos  who 
hardly  know  as  much  as  that.  If  they  cannot  read 
they  can  plow,  and  mow,  and  reap,  and  sow,  and  bring 
up  seven  children  on  ten  shillings  a week,  and  yet  pay 
their  way;  and  there’s  a sight  of  people  who  are  much 
too  ignorant  to  do  that.  Ignorance  of  spelling-books 
is  very  bad,  but  ignorance  of  hard  work  is  worse. 


FRIENDS  IN  NEED. 


141 

Wisdom  does  not  always  speak  Latin.  People  laugh 
at  smock  frocks,  and  indeed  they  are  about  as  ugly 
gfarments  as  could  well  be  contrived,  but  some  who 
wear  them  are  not  half  such  fools  as  people  take  them 
for.  If  no  ignorant  people  ate  bread  but  those  who 
wear  hobnail  shoes,  corn  would  be  a fine  deal  cheaper. 
Wisdom  in  a poor  man  is  like  a diamond  set  in  lead, 
only  judges  can  see  its  value.  Wisdom  walks  often  in 
patched  shoes,  and  men  admire  her  not,  but,  I say, 
never  mind  the  coat,  give  me  the  man ; nut-shells  are 
nothing,  the  kernel  is  everything.  You  need  not  goto 
Pirbright  to  find  ignoramuses,  there  are  heaps  of  them 
near  St.  Paul’s.” 

Friends  In  Heed. 

“ The  man  who  has  a thousand  friends, 

Has  not  a friend  to  spare  ; 

But  he  who  has  one  enemy, 

Will  meet  him  everywhere.” 

Friendship  is  a delightful  theme.  Philosophers 
have  expatiated  on  it,  and  poets  have  caught  its 
inspiration,  while  multitudes,  neither  philosophers  nor 
poets,  have  felt  its  soothing  influence.  Who,  in  times 
ol  joy,  has  not  taken  pleasure  in  communicating  his 
joyous  emotions  to  a friend  ? And  who,  in  the  hour 
of  sorrow,  has  not  alleviated  his  grief  by  telling  his 
tale  of  sadness  to  a friend  ? Thus  friendship 
increases  joy  and  diminishes  sorrow. 

Without  friends,  what  is  a man?  A solitary  oak 
upon  a sterile  rock,  symmetrical  indeed  in  its  form, 


142 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


beautiful  and  exquisitely  finished,  outrivaling  the  most 
lauded  perfection  of  art  in  gracefulness  and  grandeur, 
but  over  which  decay  has  shaken  her  black  wing  and 
left  its  leaves  blighted  ; its  limbs  contract  as  they  die  ; 
its  roots  rottenness,  and  its  bloom  death  ; a scathed, 
lifeless  monument  of  its  pristine  beauty.  When  the 
rebuffs  of  adversity  are  crushing  us  earthward — 
when  the  clouds  look  black  above,  and  the  muttering 
thunder  of  misfortune  growls  along  the  sky — when 
our  frame  is  palsied  by  the  skeleton  hand  of  disease, 
or  our  senses  whirled  in  the  maelstrom  chaos  of  insan- 
ity— when  our  hearts  are  torn  by  the  recent  separa- 
tion of  some  beloved  object,  while  our  tears  are  yet 
flowing  upon  the  fresh  turf  of  departed  innocence  — 
in  that  time  it  is  the  office  of  friendship  to  shield  us 
from  portentous  storms,  to  quicken  the  fainting  pulses 
of  our  sickly  frame,  to  bring  back  the  wandering  star 
of  mind  within  the  attraction  of  sympathetic  kindness, 
to  pour  the  “oil  and  wine”  of  peace  into  the  yet  fester- 
ing wound,  and  deliver  the  aching  heart  from  the  object 
of  its  bleeding  affection. 

When  a man  thinks  nobody  cares  for  him,  and  he 
is  alone  in  a cold  and  selfish  world,  he  would  do  well 
to  ask  himself  this  question : “ What  have  I done  to 
make  anybody  care  for  and  love  me,  to  warm  the 
world  with  faith  and  generosity  ? ” It  is  generally  the 
case  that  those  who  complain  the  most  have  done  the 
least.  Never  is  virtue  left  without  sympathy, — sym- 
pathy dearer  and  tenderer  for  the  misfortunes  that 
have  tried  it,  and  proved  its  fidelity. 

The  yearning  of  an  honest  heart  for  kind  looks 


FRIENDS  IN  NEED. 


T43 

and  gentle  words  is  implanted  by  nature.  And  the 
gentle  associations  of  home,  where  at  the  close  of  the 
day  we  may  meet  our  loved  ones,  gives  the  nearest 
approach  to  Heaven  upon  earth  that  is  vouchsafed  to 
mortals.  But  to  the  gentle  youth  that  is  thrown  upon 
the  rocks  of  a pitiless  city,  and  stands  “ homeless  amid 
a thousand  homes,”  the  approach  of  evening  brings 
with  it  an  aching  sense  of  loneliness  and  desolation, 
which  comes  down  upon  the  spirit  like  darkness  upon 
the  earth.  In  this  mood,  his  best  impulses  become  a 
snare  to  him,  and  he  is  led  astray  because  he  is  social, 
affectionate,  sympathetic  and  warm-hearted.  If  there 
be  a young  man  thus  circumstanced,  who  reads  these 
pages,  let  me  say  to  him,  that  books  are  the  friends  in 
your  need,  and  that  a library  is  the  home  in  which  you 
have  free  entrance. 

Help  one  another.  This  little  sentence  should  be 
written  on  every  heart  and  stamped  on  every  memory. 
It  should  be  the  golden  rule  practiced  not  only  in  every 
household,  but  throughout  the  world.  By  helping  one 
another  we  not  only  remove  thorns  from  the  pathway 
and  anxiety  from  the  mind,  but  we  feel  a sense  of 
pleasure  in  our  own  hearts,  knowing  that  we  are  doing 
a duty  to  a fellow  creature. 

A helping  hand  or  an  encouraging  word  is  no  loss 
to  us,  yet  it  is  a benefit  to  others.  Who  has  not  felt 
the  power  of  this  little  sentence  ? Who  has  not 
needed  the  encouragement  and  aid  of  a kind  friend? 
How  soothing,  when  perplexed  with  some  task  that  is 
mysterious  and  burdensome,  to  feel  a gentle  hand  on 
the  shoulder,  and  to  hear  a kind  voice  whispering, 


144 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


“ Do  not  be  discouraged ; I see  your  trouble ; let  me 
help  you.”  What  strength  is  inspired ! what  hope 
created!  what  sweet  gratitude  is  felt!  and  the  great 
difficulty  is  dissolved  as  dew  beneath  the  sunshine. 

Then  let  us  help  one  another  by  endeavoring  to 
strengthen  and  encourage  the  weak,  and  lift  the  burden 
of  care  from  the  weary  and  oppressed,  that  life  may 
glide  smoothly  on,  and  the  fount  of  bitterness  yield 
sweet  waters  ; and  He  whose  hand  is  ever  ready  to  aid 
us  will  reward  our  humble  endeavors.  Every  good 
deed  will  be  as  “ bread  cast  upon  the  waters,  to  return 
after  many  days,”  if  not  to  us,  to  those  we  love. 

There  is  no  life  so  humble  that,  if  it  be  true  and 
genuinely  human  and  obedient  to  God,  it  may  not  hope 
to  shed  some  of  his  light.  There  is  no  life  so  meagre 
that  the  greatest  and  wisest  of  us  can  afford  to  despise 
it.  We  cannot  know  at  what  moment  it  may  flash 
forth  with  the  life  of  God. 

One  thread  of  kindness  draws  more  than  a hun- 
dred horses. 

Our  kind  acts  may  seem  to  be  in  vain;  but,  as  the 
dormant  seeds  waken  in  the  spring-time,  so  they  shall 
bud,  blossom  and  bear  abundant  fruitage  in  God’s  own 
time. 

Every  one  will  remember  the  story  of  Androcles 
and  the  lion.  Androcles  had  hid  himself  in  a cave 
when  he  saw  a lion  approaching.  He  feared  that  he 
should  be  devoured.  But  the  lion  was  limping,  and 
appeared  to  be  in  great  pain.  Androcles  approached 
with  courage,  took  up  the  lion’s  paw,  and  took  out  a 
large  splinter  of  wood  which  had  caused  the  flesh  to 


FRIENDS  IN  NEED. 


145 


fester.  The  lion  was  most  grateful,  and  fawned  upon 
him.  Afterward,  when  Androcles  was  taken  prisoner 
and  sent  to  Rome  to  be  delivered  up  to  the  wild 
beasts,  a lion  was  let  loose  to  devour  him.  It  was  the 
same  lion  that  Androcles  had  relieved  in  his  agony. 
The  animal  remembered  with  gratitude  his  deliverer, 
and,  instead  of  devouring  him,  went  up  and  fawned 
upon  him.  Appian  declares  that  he  witnessed  with  his 
own  eyes  the  scene  between  Androcles  and  the  lion  in 
the  Roman  circus. 

A good  man  will  find  friends  everywhere.  Joseph 
did  in  prison.  So  the  prisoner  Paul  found  a friend  in 
the  governor  of  the  island.  There  is  no  better  capital 
for  a young  man  entering  life  than  a faithful,  though 
modest,  Christian  character.  Even  the  noblest  in 
rank  respect  such  a man,  and  he  finds  friends. 

Friendship  is,  strictly  speaking,  reciprocal  benevo- 
lence, which  inclines  each  party  to  be  as  solicitous  for 
the  welfare  of  the  other  as  for  his  own. 

Friends  may  cheer  us  in  our  suffering.  If  they 
can  do  nothing  to  relieve  our  pain,  their  presence  and 
consoling  words  may  help  us  bear  it. 

In  adversity  and  difficulties  arm  yourself  with  firm- 
ness and  fortitude.  The  firmest  friendships  have  been 
formed  in  mutual  adversity,  as  iron  is  most  strongly 
welded  by  the  fiercest  fire.  Be  what  you  seem  to  be, 
and  seem  to  be  only  what  you  are. 

Choose  your  friends,  and  do  not  merely  take  up 
with  whoever  drifts  up  against  you.  In  a great 
measure  our  thoughts  and  aims  receive  their  color- 
ing  from  the  ones  around  us,  and  it  is  our  duty  to 


146 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


place,  as  far  as  in  our  power  lies,  those  near  to  us  that 
will  prove  of  help. 

Among  the  various  forms  of  Christian  duty,  that  of 
sympathetic  listening  is  certainly  entitled  to  a high 
rank.  The  helping  hand  and  the  kindly  word  are 
both  needed,  and  should  never  be  spared;  but  there 
are  times  when  the  listening  ear  is  more  needed  than 
either  of  them.  There  are  men  and  women  in  the 
world  who  feel  most  keenly  the  lack  of  some  wise  and 
gentle  and  heartful  person  to  whom  they  can  simply 
tell  their  grief  or  their  joy;  and  for  lack  of  such  a 
listener  they  endure  deep  suffering,  or  perhaps  fall  into 
actual  sin.  To  listen  wisely  is  no  easy  task,  nor  is  it 
to  be  lightly  undertaken;  but  it  is  not  to  be  avoided 
on  that  account;  and  sometimes  it  may  be  the  first 
duty  which  calls  upon  us. 


Discretion. 


Fortune  often  sells  to  the  hasty  what  she  gives  to 
those  who  wait.  Bacon  says,  “Fortune  is  like  the 
market,  when,  many  times,  if  you  can  stay  a little, 
the  price  will  fall ; and  again,  it  is  sometimes  like 
Sibylla’s  offer,  which  at  first  offereth  the  commodity  at 
full,  then  consumeth  part  and  part,  and  still  holdeth  up 
the  price  ; for  occasion  turneth  a bald  noddle  after  she 
hath  presented  her  locks  in  front,  and  no  hold  taken.” 
There  is  certainly  no  greater  wisdom  than  well  to  time 
the  beginnings  and  onsets  of  things. 


DISCRETION. 


147 


If  we  but  saw  how  the  gates  of  opportunity  open 
and  close ; how  the  possibilities  of  to-day  neglected 
become  to-morrow  the  things  which  never  can  be 
done;  how  unused  strength  wastes  away  and  brings 
up  behind  it  no  other  strengths;  how  the  grace  that 
lies  about  all  our  occasions,  ready  to  flow  upon  them 
at  the  touches  of  our  diligence,  slighted,  lifts  itself  up 
into  the  heavens  and  leaves  us  in  hardness  and 
death;  how  on  the  other  hand,  when  used  it  drops 
upon  us  like  the  rain  and  distills  like  the  dew ; how 
work  done  makes  work  easier;  how  the  voluntary  use 
of  “ all  that  is  within  us  ” and  without  us,  too,  of  soul 
and  sinew,  of  love  and  thought,  of  time  and  strength, 
and  hours  of  prayer,  will  bring  upon  us  the  gentle 
pressures  of  God’s  newest,  freshest  grace  ; — if  we  but 
saw  such  things  as  these  what  girdings  there  would  bg 
among  us. 

The  man  who  by  some  sudden  revolution  of  for- 
tune is  lifted  up  all  at  once  into  a condition  of  life 
greatly  above  what  he  had  formerly  lived  in,  may  be 
assured  that  the  congratulations  of  his  best  friends  are 
not  all  of  them  perfectly  sincere.  If  he  has  any  judg- 
ment, he  is  sensible  of  this,  and  instead  of  appearing 
to  be  elated  with  his  good  fortune,  he  endeavors,  as 
much  as  he  can,  to  smother  his  joy,  and  keep  down 
that  elevation  of  mind  with  which  his  new  circum- 
stances naturally  inspire  him.  He  affects  the  same 
plainness  of  dress,  and  the  same  modesty  of  behavior, 
which  became  him  in  his  former  station.  He  redoubles 
his  attention  to  his  old  friends,  and  endeavors  more 
than  ever  to  be  humble,  assiduous,  and  complaisant. 


148 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


But  it  is  seldom  with  all  this  that  he  succeeds,  and 
that  man  is  a model  of  discretion  who  retains  uni- 
versal approval  under  such  circumstances. 

Pleasure  is  a shadow,  wealth  is  vanity,  and  power 
a pageant ; but  knowledge  is  ecstatic  in  enjoyment, 
perennial  in  fame,  unlimited  in  space,  and  infinite  in 
duration.  In  the  performance  of  its  sacred  offices  it 
fears  no  danger,  spares  no  expense;  it  looks  in  the 
volcano,  dives  in  the  ocean,  perforates  the  earth,  wings, 
its  flight  in  the  skies,  explores  sea  and  land,  contem- 
plates the  distance,  examines  the  minute,  comprehends 
the  great,  ascends  to  the  sublime ; no  place  is  too 
remote  for  its  grasp,  no  height  too  exalted  for  its 
reach. 

There  are  many  who  never  can  forgive  another  for 
being  more  agreeable  and  more  accomplished  than 
themselves,  and  who  can  pardon  any  offense  rather 
than  an  eclipsing  merit.  Had  the  nightingale,  in  the 
fable,  conquered  his  vanity  and  resisted  the  tempta- 
tion of  showing  a fine  voice,  he  might  have  escaped 
the  talons  of  the  hawk.  The  melody  of  his  singing 
was  the  cause  of  his  destruction;  his  merit  brought 
him  into  danger,  and  his  vanity  cost  him  his  life. 

Of  all  the  qualifications  for  conversation,  humility, 
if  not  the  most  brilliant,  is  the  safest,  the  most  amiable 
and  the  most  feminine.  The  affectation  of  introduc- 
ing subjects  with  which  others  are  unacquainted,  and 
of  displaying  talents  superior  to  the  rest  of  the  com- 
pany, is  as  dangerous  as  it  is  foolish. 

It  is  a great  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  man  who 
volunteers  answers  to  all  sorts  of  questions  knows 


DISCRETION. 


I49 


what  he  is  talking  about.  A strange  fatality  seems 
often  to  seal  the  lips  of  those  who  really  know  how  to 
do  things.  But  this  is  not  so  strange  to  us  as  the  un- 
failing eloquence  of  those  who  do  not  know  how  to  do 
anything. 

It  is  generally  safe  to  converse  freely  with  an  unre- 
served talker;  but  when  a man  lets  you  carry  on  all 
the  conversation,  it  is  well  to  be  on  your  guard,  for 
the  probability  is,  he  is  taking  your  measure.  Cheer- 
fulness is  always  to  be  kept  up,  if  a man  is  out  of 
pain  ; but  mirth,  to  a prudent  man,  should  always  be 
accidental.  It  should  naturally  arise  out  of  the  occa- 
sion, and  the  occasion  seldom  laid  for  it. 

You  will  not  be  sorry  for  hearing  before  judging, 
for  thinking  before  speaking,  for  holding  an  angry 
tongue,  for  stopping  the  ear  to  a tale-bearer,  for  disbe- 
lieving most  of  the  ill  reports,  for  being  kind  to  the 
distressed,  for  being  patient  towards  everybody,  for 
doing  good  to  all  men,  for  asking  pardon  for  all 
wrongs,  for  speaking  evil  of  no  one,  for  being  cour- 
teous to  all. 

True  silence  is  the  rest  of  the  mind,  and  is  to  the 
body  nourishment  and  refreshment.  It  is  a great  vir- 
tue ; it  covers  folly,  keeps  secrets,  avoids  disputes, 
and  prevents  sin. 

Soar  not  too  high  to  fall,  but  stoop  to  rise.  Among 
the  breakers  is  not  the  place  to  dismiss  the  pilot.  If 
there  is  any  person  to  whom  you  feel  a dislike,  that  is 
the  person  of  whom  you  ought  never  to  speak.  There 
is  this  difference  between  happiness  and  wisdom,  he 
who  thinks  himself  the  happiest  man  really  is  so,  but 


1 50 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTPI. 


he  who  thinks  himself  the  wisest  is  generally  just  the 
reverse.  Like  every  other  faculty,  imagination  needs 
wise  direction  and  vigorous  culture;  and  if  it  receives 
this  treatment,  it  will  put  a vital  and  energetic  force 
into  every  part  of  life,  and  give  a new  impetus  to  the 
most  practical  of  its  realities. 

“We  must  be  cautious  as  to  the  thoughts  we  think. 
The  scenes  amidst  which  we  dwell  in  fancy  give  form 
to  our  characters  as  truly  as  those  through  which  we 
pass  in  bodily  presence.  The  images  with  which  the 
mind  holds  converse  may  uplift  or  degrade  as  truly  as 
companions  in  bodily  form.  A thought  may  scar  the 
soul  as  a weapon  leaves  its  mark  on  the  flesh.  The 
fact  that  our  imaginations  are  so  closely  akin  to  reali- 
ties, is  a reason  why  they  should  be  guarded  and 
controlled.  ISTot  even  in  thought  must  we  mingle  with 
the  base  and  the  impure.  He  only  shall  ascend  into 
the  hill  of  the  Lord  who  hath  clean  hands  and  a 
pure  heart!' 

Bainsipa^ihg. 

The  incalculable  aid  of  an  educated,  painstaking 
habit,  in  the  furthering  of  one’s  fortunes,  can  hardly 
be  appreciated.  The  painstaking,  accurate  person 
will  comprehend  at  a glance  the  details  of  work  that 
to  the  dullard  is  an  inextricable  tangle.  Little  things 
are  noticed,  little  scraps  picked  up,  little  notes  made 
here  and  there,  where  others  would  pass  them  all  by 
unnoticed  and  uncared  for,  but  at  the  right  time  it  all 


PAINSTAKING. 


151 

comes  of  crood  use.  One  man  would  run  on  to  dis- 

O 

aster  and  defeat,  where  the  other,  grasping  the  situation 
at  a glance,  straightens  the  kinks,  and  produces  suc- 
cess. 

There  was  once  a young  man  in  a western  railway 
superintendent’s  office.  He  held  a position  that  four 
hundred  boys  in  the  city  would  have  wished  to  get. 
It  was  honorable,  and  it  paid  well,  besides  being  in  the 
line  of  promotion.  How  did  he  get  it  ? Not  by  having 
a rich  father,  for  he  was  the  son  of  a laborer.  The 
secret  was  his  accuracy.  He  began  as  an  errand  boy, 
and  did  his  work  accurately.  His  leisure  time  he  used 
in  perfecting  his  writing  and  arithmetic.  After  awhile 
he  learned  to  telegraph.  At  each  step  his  employer 
commended  his  accuracy,  and  relied  on  what  he  did, 
because  he  was  just  right. 

And  it  is  thus  with  every  occupation.  The  pains- 
taking boy  is  the  favored  one.  Those  who  employ 
men  do  not  wish  to  be  on  the  lookout,  as  though  they 
were  rogues  or  fools.  If  a carpenter  must  stand  at 
his  journeyman’s  elbow  to  be  sure  that  his  work  is 
right,  or  if  a cashier  must  run  over  his  book-keeper’s 
column,  he  might  as  well  do  the  work  himself  as 
employ  another  to  do  it  in  that  way ; and  it  is  very 
certain  that  the  employer  will  get  rid  of  such  an  inac- 
curate workman  as  soon  as  he  can. 

A boy  took  out  his  knife  to  cut  the  twine  about  a 
package,  in  a large  store.  “Stop!”  said  his  employer. 
“ Do  you  see  that  man  behind  the  counter  up  there  ? 
He  is  now  working  for  me  as  a clerk,  when  he  ought 
to  own  a store  of  his  own  like  this  one,  and  it  is  all 


152 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


because  he  always  cut  the  strings  instead  of  untying 
them.  I want  you  to  have  a store  of  your  own  some 
day,  and  so  I want  you  to  untie  your  strings,  and  take 
pains  with  every  little  thing,  until  it  becomes  a habit 
with  you.  It  will  be  the  means  of  making  your  for- 
tune.” 

It  is  not  enough  for  one  to  be  able  or  willing  to 
supply  the  things  that  others  need.  They  must  be 
made  acquainted  with  the  fact ; and  the  valuable 
qualities  of  these  things  must  be  set  before  them. 
Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  is  it  enough  for  one  to  need 
what  others  can  furnish;  he  must  know  that  the  thing 
can  be  obtained,  and  where  he  can  obtain  it.  Pro- 
ducers and  consumers  must  be  made  acquainted  with 
each  other’s  wants  and  facilities  for  supplying  their 
wants.  Don’t  be  afraid  to  talk  and  ask  questions, 
when  there  is  good  reason  for  doing  so.  Gather  up 
items  and  facts  and  lay  them  up  in  your  memory  ; they 
will  be  of  use  to  you  some  day. 

Daniel  Webster  once  told  a good  story  in  a speech, 
and  was  asked  where  he  got  it. 

“I  had  it  laid  up  in  my  head  for  iourteen  years,  and 
never  had  a/chance  to  use  it  until  to-day,”  said  he. 

My  little  friend  wants  to  know  what  good  it  will  do 
to  learn  the  rule  of  three,  or  to  commit  to  memory  a 
verse  of  the  Bible.  The  answer  is  this:  “Sometime 
you  will  need  that  very  thing.  Perhaps  it  may  be 
twenty  years  before  you  can  make  use  of  it  in  just  the 
right  place,  but  it  will  be  just  in  place  sometime.  Then, 
if  you  don’t  have  it,  you  will  be  like  the  hunter  who 
had  no  ball  in  his  rifle  when  the  bear  met  him.” 


PAINSTAKING. 


153 


“ Twenty-five  years  ago  my  teacher  made  me  study 
surveying,”  said  a man  who  had  lost  his  property, 
“ and  now  I am  glad  of  it.  It  is  just  in  place.  I can 
get  a good  situation  at  a high  salary.”  The  Bible  is 
better  than  that.  It  will  be  in  place  as  long  as  we  live. 

It  never  pays  to  be  a poor  workman.  If  you  are  a 
young  man,  aim  to  do  honest  work,  and,  although  your 
present  employer  may  not  be  willing  to  pay  any  more 
for  a well-made  coat  or  a neatly-finished  boot  than  he 
would  for  a botch,  don’t  be  discouraged.  If  you  are  a 
carpenter,  make  the  best  joint  you  can;  if  you  are  a 
machinist,  see  that  every  bolt  and  rivet  is  as  firm  as  if 
your  life  depended  upon  its  properly  fulfilling  its  duties. 
How  carefully  the  aeronaut  examines  his  balloon,  the 
tight  rope  performer  his  rope,  before  he  trusts  his  life 
to  it.  Would  a shipbuilder  take  passage  on  a vessel 
of  his  own  building  if  he  knew  that  he  had  willfully 
neglected  or  slighted  any  essential  part  of  her  hull  ? 

Yet  many  a young  mechanic  has  destroyed  his  own 
future  and  committed  moral  suicide  by  sending  forth  a 
poor  piece  of  work.  The  old  surgical  professor’s  cau- 
tion to  a young  medical  student  is  not  inapt  here. 
Said  he,  “ If  you  are  ever  called  to  set  a broken  leg, 
and  your  work  is  a failure,  and  the  man  becomes  a 
cripple,  you  may  be  sure  he  will  always  come  limping 
along  just  at  the  wrong  time,  when  you  are  surrounded 
by  your  clients  and  friends.  He  is  a walking  adver- 
tisement of  your  incapacity.” 

The  path  of  fame  by  honest  merit  is  a slow  and 
tedious  one.  A manufacturer  who  is  so  careful  about 
his  products  that  he  has  to  put  a higher  price  on  thn/ 


1 54 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


than  his  less  conscientious  neighbor  can  sell  for,  may 
be  repaid  at  first  by  small  sales  and  smaller  profits. 
It  takes  a long  time  to  build  up  a reputation  by  excel- 
lence ; but  once  acquired,  its  value  cannot  be  esti- 
mated. 

Remember  that  the  secret  studies  of  an  author  are 
the  sunken  piers  upon  which  is  to  rest  the  bridge  of 
his  fame,  spanning  the  dark  waters  of  oblivion.  They 
are  out  of  sight,  but  without  them  no  superstructure 
can  stand  secure.  “ Never  mistake  perspiration  for 
inspiration,”  said  an  old  minister  in  his  charge  to  a 
young  minister  just  being  ordained.  Sweetest  nuts 
have  hardest  shells.  Said  Luther:  “The  greatest 
temptation  the  devil  has  for  the  Christian  is  comfort.” 
More  hearts  are  made  to  ache  through  thoughtless- 
ness than  through  downright  wickedness.  Be  careful 
of  others. 

The  German  sculptor  Dannecker  worked  for  eight 
years  upon  a statue  of  Christ.  At  the  end  of  two 
years  he  called  a little  girl  into  his  studio,  and  pointing 
to  the  statue  asked,  “Who  is  that?”  She  replied,  “A 
great  man.”  The  artist  turned  away  disheartened;  he 
had  failed.  He  began  anew.  After  another  year  of 
patient  work  he  brought  the  child  again  before  the 
statue.  “Who  is  that?”  After  a long,  silent  look,, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes  she  said,  “ Suffer  the  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  me.”  And  he  knew  that  his  work 
war,  a success.  If  you  have  talents,  industry  will 
improve  them  ; if  you  have  moderate  abilities,  industry 
will  supply  the  deficiencies.  Nothing  is  denied  to  well- 
directed  labor;  nothing  is  ever  obtained  without  it. 


FROM  THE  RANKS. 


155 


That  which  we  acquire  with  the  most  difficulty  we 
retain  the  longest;  as  those  who  have  earned  a fortune 
are  usually  more  careful  of  it  than  those  who  have 
inherited  one.  Samuel  Johnson  says  that  “ interest  is 
the  mother  of  attention;”  but  attention  is  the  mother 
of  memory.  To  secure  memory,  therefore,  secure  its 
mother  and  grandmother.  It  is  a very  common  and 
fatal  error  to  neglect  this  grandparent.  When  one  is 
absorbingly  interested  in  a theme  the  mind  becomes 
strangely  receptive,  and  draws  to  itself,  as  a magnet 
gathers  up  iron  filings,  all  information  within  its  reach 
as  to  the  topic  in  hand. 


Ri^om  the  FJan^s. 

Examples  are  occurring  every  day,  in  all  the  de- 
partments /of  useful  exertion,  of  men  who,  by  dint  of 
self  help  and  native  energy,  have  sprung  from  obscur- 
ity into  shining  lights,  and  whose  names,  now  that 
they  are  known,  the  world  will  not  willingly  let  die. 
Who  was  the  late  John  Snyder,  of  Pittsburg,  the  well- 
known  cashier  of  a bank  in  that  city,  a man  whose 
name  for  long  years  was  a synonym  for  commercial 
honor,  promptness,  probity  and  zeal?  A wagoner. 
Who  was  the  late  Thos.  Corwin,  of  Ohio,  ex-Gover- 
nor,  ex-Senator,  and  ex-Secretary  of  the  Cabinet  of 
President  Harrison?  A wagoner.  And  so  we  might  go 
on  to  cull  from  our  single  memory  alone  example  up- 
on example  of  men  who,  like  the  spider,  have  taken 


156 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


hold  with  their  hands,  but  who,  long  before  their  day 
was  ended,  or  their  web  spun,  were  living  in  palaces 
that  a king  might  envy. 

The  very  nobility  of  Christian  literature  have 
sprung  from  the  lowest  walks  of  life.  Thomas  H. 
H orne,  author  of  the  “Introduction  to  the  Bible,”  was 
once  a journeyman  bookbinder;  and  Whitefield,  the 
Demosthenes  of  the  pulpit,  was  once  a poor  boot- 
black  in  the  University  of  Oxford.  Indeed  almost  all  the 
great  men  who  have  done  so  much  for  the  advance- 
ment of  science  and  the  amelioration  of  mankind, 
were  in  early  life  engaged  in  some  manual  employ- 
ment. 

John  Bunyan  was  a tinker,  and  miserably  poor. 
Zwingle  came  forth  from  an  Alpine  shepherd’s  cabin. 
Melancthon  from  an  armorer’s  workshop  ; Luther  from 
a miner’s  cottage  ; the  apostles,  some  of  them,  from 
fishermen’s  huts.  And  to  the  industrious  and  the 
humble  come  ever  the  greatest  of  blessings.  Only 
the  earnest  heart  can  receive  a great  blessing;  flabby 
natures  cannot  know  the  highest  joys  nor  the  keenest 
pleasures,  for  there  is  nothing  within  them  to  receive 
great  blessedness. 

Andrew  Jackson  was  born  in  a log  hut  in  North 
Carolina,  and  was  raised  in  the  pine  woods  for  which 
the  state  is  famous.  James  K.  Polk  spent  the  earlier 
years  of  his  life  helping  to  dig  a living  out  of  a new  farm 
in  North  Carolina.  He  was  afterwards  a clerk  in  a 
country  store.  Millard  Fillmore  was  the  son  of  a 
New  York  farmer,  and  his  house  was  a very  humble 
one.  He  learned  the  business  of  clothier. 


FROM  THE  RANKS. 


157 


James  Buchanan  was  born  in  a small  town  among 
the  Alleghany  mountains.  His  father  cut  the  logs  and 
built  his  own  house  in  what  was  then  a wilderness. 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  the  son  of  a very  poor  Ken- 
tucky farmer,  and  lived  in  a log  cabin  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  Andrew  Johnson  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a tailor  at  the  age  of  ten  years  by  his 
widowed  mother.  He  was  never  able  to  attend  school, 
and  picked  up  all  the  education  he  ever  got.  Gen. 
Grant  lived  the  life  of  a common  boy  in  a common 
house  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  river  until  he  was  sev- 
enteen years  of  age.  James  A.  Garfield  was  born  in 
a log  cabin.  He  worked  on  the  farm  until  the  time  he 
was  strong  enough  to  use  carpenters’  tools,  when  he 
learned  the  trade.  He  afterwards  worked  on  the 
canal.  Henry  Clay  was  taught  the  rudiments  of 
education  in  a log  school-house,  between  his  fifth  and 
tenth  years,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  the 
office  of  clerk  of  the  chancery  court. 

Cornelius  Vanderbilt  began  life  with  an  old  pirogue 
running  between  Staten  Island  and  New  York  city, 
carrying  garden  stuff  to  market.  With  two  or  three 
thousand  dollars  raised  from  that  source  he  entered 
upon  steadily  increasing  enterprises,  until  he  amassed 
the  enormous  sum  of  fifty  million  dollars.  A.  T. 
Stewart  first  bought  a few  laces  at  auction,  and  opened 
his  way  to  success  in  a dingy  little  shop  in  Broad- 
way, near  the  site  of  his  present  wholesale  establish- 
ment. Years  of  rigid  honesty,  shrewd  management, 
and  wisdom  in  things  both  great  and  small,  made 
him  the  monument  merchant  of  the  nineteenth  century. 


158 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


George  Law,  at  forty-five  years  01  age,  was  a com- 
mon day  laborer  on  the  docks,  and  at  present  counts 
his  fortune  at  something  like  ten  million  dollars. 
Robert  L.  and  Alexander  Stewart,  the  sugar  refiners, 
in  their  boyhood  sold  molasses  candy  which  their 
widowed  mother  had  made,  at  a cent  a stick,  and 
to-day  they  are  worth  probably  five  fo  six  million 
dollars  apiece.  Marshal  O.  Roberts  is  the  possessor 
of  four  or  five  million  dollars,  and  yet  until  he  was 
twenty-five  he  did  not  have  one  hundred  dollars  he 
could  call  his  own.  H.  B.  Claflin,  the  eminent  dry 
goods  merchant,  worth,  it  is  estimated,  from  ten  to 
fifteen  million  dollars,  commenced  the  world  with 
nothing  but  energy,  determination  and  hope. 

“ Labor  conquers  all  things.”  Metastasio,  a 
friendless  street  singer,  became  one  of  the  greatest 
authors  in  Italian  literature.  Gifford,  a cabin  boy, 
became  one  of  the  most  powerful  writers  of  his  age. 
Epictetus,  born  a slave,  became  the  boast  of  the  Stoic 
philosophers,  and  was  intimate  with  the  best  Roman 
emperors.  Ferguson,  a shepherd  boy,  became  a lead- 
ing astronomer,  to  whose  lectures  royalty  listened. 
Murray,  another  shepherd  boy,  became  a prominent 
instructor.  Brown,  still  another  shepherd  boy,  became 
author  of  a Bible  commentary,  concordance  and  dic- 
tionary. Terence,  an  African  slave,  elevated  himself 
to  the  society  and  fellowship  of  Roman  consuls. 
Franklin,  bred  a tradesman,  became  a leader  in  “the 
art  preservative  of  all  arts”  (printing).  Sir  Hum- 
phrey Davy,  an  apothecary’s  apprentice,  became  the 
first  chemist  of  his  time.  Roger  Shermar  a shoe- 


FROM  THE  RANKS. 


159 


maker,  became  a statesman  in  the  American  Revolu- 
tion. Samuel  Lee,  a carpenter,  became  professor  of 
Hebrew  in  Cambridge  University.  Adam  Clarke, 
reared  in  a country  school,  rose  to  be  one  of  the  first 
Biblical  scholars  of  modern  times.  Robert  Hall,  a very 
poor  boy,  became  a leading  preacher  and  writer  in 
England.  Cuvier,  a charity  school  boy,  became  a 
prominent  modern  naturalist.  Prideaux,  who  worked 
in  the  kitchen  of  Exeter  College  in  order  to  obtain  a 
classical  education,  became  Bishop  of  Worcester. 
“ Out  of  difficulties  grow  miracles.” 

One  hundred  and  twenty-five  years  ago  John 
Adams,  school  teacher — afterwards  President — sat  in 
his  chamber  at  Worcester  and  wrote:  “I  have  no 
books,  no  time,  no  friends.  I must  therefore  be  con- 
tented to  live  and  die  an  obscure,  ignorant  fellow.” 
Why  be  discouraged ! 

Herschel,  a regular  in  the  British  army,  studied  the 
firmament  while  on  sentry  duty  at  night,  and  became 
a great  astronomer,  and  afterwards  earned  his  living 
by  playing  a violin  at  parties,  and  in  the  interstices  of 
the  play  he  would  go  out  and  look  up  at  the  midnight 
heavens,  the  field  of  his  immortal  conquests.  George 
Stephenson  rose  from  being  the  foreman  in  a colliery 
to  be  the  most  renowned  of  the  world’s  engineers. 

When  David  Livingston  was  a boy,  he  was  obliged 
to  be  at  the  mills  by  six  o’clock  every  morning,  and 
he  did  not  leave  until  eight  o’clock  in  the  evening. 
When  he  received  his  first  week’s  pay,  he  forthwith 
purchased  a Latin  grammar  with  a portion  of  it,  and 
within  a very  short  time  joined  an  evening  school. 


i6o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


In  early  life  Francis  Wayland  had  to  struggle 
against  many  difficulties  and  discouragements,  such  as 
would  have  broken  the  spirits  and  crushed  the  hopes 
of  the  irresolute  and  feeble,  but  which  only  roused 
him  to  diligent  and  persevering  effort.  To-day  his 
writings  are  everywhere  known,  and  his  text-books 
are  standards  in  some  of  the  leading  schools  and  col- 
leges of  the  land. 

The  career  of  Peter  Cooper  may  be  cited  in  many 
aspects  as  an  illustration  of  the  beneficent  effect  of 
American  institutions;  and  it  is  well  for  us  to  be 
reminded  occasionally,  in  the  midst  of  our  conflicts 
with  abuses,  and  our  endeavors  at  reform,  which  tend 
to  breed  a spirit  of  cynicism  or  despondency,  that  the 
possibility  of  such  a career  among  us  is  a testimony 
to  the  value  and  substantial  success  of  free  govern- 
ment, outweighing  all  its  defects  and  dangers.  When 
we  read  that  Peter  Cooper,  during  his  active  life, 
learned  and  practiced  the  trade  of  a hatter,  then  served 
his  time  as  apprentice  to  a coach  maker,  then  set  up 
the  manufacture  of  cloth  shearing  machines,  invented 
by  himself,  then  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  then 
established  in  succession  a glue  factory  and  several 
iron-works,  we  realize  that  such  a record  of  manifold 
enterprise  would  scarcely  be  possible  under  any  other 
political  and  social  system  than  ours.  The  story  is  all 
the  more  significant  because  it  does  not  include  bank- 
ruptcy  or  business  failure  as  a factor  of  change.  It  is 
simply  the  narration  of  quick  perception,  and  sanguine, 
unconquerable  courage,  freely  choosing  and  boldly 
pursuing  the  path  that  promises  legitimate  advantage. 


FROM  THE  RANKS. 


161 


It  is  almost  impossible  to  speak  of  any  renowned 
for  eminence  who  have  not  been  compelled  to  strug- 
gle under  great  difficulties,  and  only  by  their  persever- 
ing efforts  have  they  raised  themselves  from  the  ranks 
of  those  who  were  contented  to  remain  in  humble  life ; 
or  at  least  unwilling  to  undergo  the  hardships  neces- 
sary to  raise  them  above  their  natural  level.  Emily 
C.  Judson  used  to  rise  at  two  in  the  morning  and  do 
the  washing  for  the  family.  Gambetta  was  poor  and 
slept  in  an  attic.  Lucy  Larcom  was  a factory  girl. 
Dr.  Holland  was  poor  and  a school  teacher.  Cap- 
tain Eades  was  barefoot  and  penniless  at  nine  years  old. 
None  of  these  people  have  been  idle  or  whiled  away 
their  time  on  street  corners,  or  in  games  of  cards  or 
billiards.  They  were  too  busy. 

So,  in  every  case,  where  there  are  high  and  right 
aims,  and  a resolute  will,  and  diligent  perseverance, 
let  the  young  remember  that  they  may,  in  the  end, 
surely  expect  success.  It  may  not  come  at  once  ; for, 
as  Montesquieu  tells  us,  “Success,  in  most  things,  de- 
pends on  knowing  how  long  it  takes  to  succeed,”  or, 
as  DeMaistre  says,  “in  knowing  how  to  wait.”  A well 
known  governor  of  Massachusetts  ran  for  the  office 
sixteen  successive  years  in  vain,  but  at  last  obtained  it 
by  a single  vote.  Von  Moltke  was  unknown  to  the 
world  until  he  was  sixty-one  years  of  age;  and  the 
immortal  Havelock  did  not  gain  a name  in  history  till 
but  a few  years  before  his  death.  But  though  it  may 
not  be  at  once,  yet  in  the  end  success  will  come, 

always  in  the  conscious  possession  of  a high  and  noble 
11 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


I 62 


character,  and  generally,  also,  to  the  eye  of  the  world, 
and  in  the  estimation  of  men.  “Resolution,”  says  one, 
“is  omnipotent.” 


Duty  op  CQa^ing  <X)oney. 

We  believe  the  winning  of  wealth  to  be  a per- 
fectly legitimate  pursuit.  Wealth  has  great  and  benefi- 
cent uses,  and  the  world  would  go  very  slowly  if 
money  could  not  be  accumulated  in  wise  and  enter- 
prising hands ; but  wealth  may  be  used  to  make  all 
men  near  it  prosperous  and  happy,  or  it  may  be  used 
to  make  them  poor  and  miserable.  When  a rich  man 
is  only  excited  by  his  wealth  with  the  desire  to  be 
richer,  and  goes  on  to  exact  larger  profits  and  to  grind 
the  faces  of  the  poor,  in  order  that  he  may  be  super- 
fluously rich,  he  becomes  inhuman  and  unchristian. 
The  Christian  use  of  wealth  is  what  we  need  in  this 
country  and  in  all  countries.  It  is  not  that  wealth  does 
not  give  in  charity.  It  is  not  that  wealth  is  not  suffi- 
ciently taxed  for  the  support  of  those  who  are  wrecked 
in  health  or  fortune,  but  it  is  that  it  does  not  give  the 
people  a chance  to  escape  from  poverty;  that  it  does  not 
share  its  chances  with  the  poor,  and  point  the  pathway 
for  the  poor  toward  prosperity.  As  a rule,  wealth  is 
only  brotherly  towards  wealth,  and  the  poor  man  feels 
himself  cut  off  from  sympathy  with  those  who  have  the 
oower  of  winning  money. 

We  may  rest  assured  of  one  thing,  namely,  that 
the  poor  in  the  future  will  insist  on  being  recognized. 


DUTY  OF  MAKING  MONEY.  1 63 

If  they  are  not  recognized — if  they  are  ignored  in  the 
mad  greed  for  wealth  at  any  cost  to  them — they  will 
make  the  future  a trouble  and  terrible  one  for  our 
children  and  our  children’s  children. 

It  is  right  to  seek  wealth,  provided  you  do  so  with 
the  purpose  of  serving  God  with  it.  A man  may  be 
as  miserly  being  poor  as  being  rich.  There  is  no  sin 
in  being  rich,  in  itself  considered;  there  is  no  virtue  in 
being  poor.  Consecrate  yourself  to  God,  be  honest, 
and  seek  wealth;  then,  if  it  comes,  make  a noble  use 
of  it.  We  need  rich  men  in  the  church.  We  need 
such  men  to  build  our  colleges  and  churches.  By 
doing  good  with  his  money,  a man  as  it  were  stamps 
the  image  of  God  upon  it,  and  makes  it  pass  current 
for  the  merchandise  of  heaven. 

John  Wesley  says,  “Get  all  you  can,  save  all  you 
can,  give  all  you  can.  Permit  me  to  speak  of  myself 
as  freely  as  I would  of  any  other  man.  I gain  all  I can 
without  hurting  my  body  or  soul.  I save  all  I can  ; 
not  wasting  anything,  not  a sheet  of  paper,  nor  a cup 
of  water.  I do  not  lay  out  anything,  not  a snilling, 
unless  a sacrifice  for  God;  yet,  by  giving  all  I can,  I 
am  effectually  secured  from  laying  up  treasures  upon 
earth.  Yea,  and  that  I do  this,  I call  upon  both  friends 
and  foes  to  testify.” 

The  way  to  keep  money  is  to  earn  it  fairly  and 
honestly.  Money  so  obtained  is  pretty  certain  to 
abide  with  its  possessor.  But  money  that  is  inherited, 
or  that  in  any  way  comes  without  a fair  and  just  equiv- 
alent, is  almost  certain  to  go  as  it  came.  The  young 
man  who  begins  by  saving  a few  dollars  a month  and 


164  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

thriftily  increases  his  store — every  coin  being  a repre- 
sentative of  good,  solid  work,  honestly  and  manfully 
done — stands  a better  chance  to  spend  the  last  half  of 
his  life  in  affluence  and  comfort  than  he  who,  in  his 
haste  to  become  rich,  obtains  money  by  dashing  spec- 
ulations, or  the  devious  means  which  abound  in  the 
foggy  regions  lying  between  fair  dealing  and  actual 
fraud.  Among  the  wisest  and  most  thrifty  men  of 
wealth,  the  current  proverb  is  “money  goes  as  it 
comes.”  Let  the  young  make  a note  of  this,  and  see 
that  their  money  comes  fairly,  that  it  may  long  abide 
with  them. 

If  the  poor-house  has  any  terror  for  you,  never 
buy  what  you  don't  need  ; before  you  pay  three  cents 
for  a jews’-harp,  my  boy,  ascertain  whether  you  cannot 
make  just  as  pleasant  a noise  by  whistling,  for  which 
nature  furnishes  the  machinery ; and  before  you  pay 
seventy-five  dollars  for  a coat,  young  man,  find  out 
whether  your  lady  would  not  be  just  as  glad  to  see 
you  in  one  that  costs  half  the  money.  If  she  would 
not,  let  her  crack  her  own  hazel-nuts  and  buy  her  own 
clothes. 

When  you  see  a man  spending  two  or  three  dol- 
lars a week  foolishly,  the  chances  are  five  to  one  that 
he  will  live  long  enough  to  know  how  many  cents 
there  are  in  a dollar;  if  he  don’t,  he’s  pretty  sure  to 
bequeath  that  privilege  to  his  widow.  When  a man 
asks  you  to  buy  that  for  which  you  have  no  use,  no 
matter  how  cheap  it  is,  don’t  say  yes  until  you  are  sure 
that  some  one  else  wants  it  in  advance.  Money  burns 
in  some  folks’  pockets,  and  makes  such  a big  hole  that 


DUTY  OF  MAKING  MONEY.  1 65 

everything  that  is  put  in  drops  through  past  finding. 

Keep  your  weather  eye  open.  Sleeping  poultry  are 
carried  off  by  the  fox.  Who  watches  not  catches  not. 
Fools  ask  what’s  o’clock,  but  wise  men  know  their 
time.  Grind  while  the  wind  blows,  or  if  not  do  not 
blame  providence.  God  sends  every  bird  its  food,  but 
he  does  not  throw  it  into  the  nest;  he  gives  us  our 
daily  bread,  but  it  is  through  our  own  labor.  Take 
time  by  the  forelock.  Be  up  early  and  catch  the  worm. 
The  morning  hour  carries  gold  in  its  mouth.  He  who 
drives  last  in  the  row  gets  all  the  dust  in  his  eyes : rise 
early,  and  you  will  have  a clear  start  for  the  day. 

I only  want  to  say,  do  not  be  greedy,  for  covetous- 
ness is  always  poor ; still,  strive  to  get  on,  for  poverty 
is  no  virtue,  and  to  rise  in  the  world  is  to  a man’s 
credit  as  well  as  his  comfort.  Earn  all  you  can,  save 
all  you  can,  and  then  give  all  you  can.  Never  try  to 
save  out  of  God’s  cause ; such  money  will  canker  the 
rest.  Giving  to  God  is  no  loss;  it  is  putting  your  sub- 
stance into  the  best  bank.  Giving  is  true  having,  as 
the  old  gravestone  said  of  the  dead  man,  “ What  I 
spent  I had,  what  I saved  I lost,  what  I gave  I have.” 
The  pockets  of  the  poor  are  safe  lockers,  and  it  is 
always  a good  investment  to  lend  to  the  Lord. 

A saving  woman  at  the  head  of  a family  is  the  very 
best  savings  bank  established.  The  idea  of  saving  is 
a pleasant  one  ; and  if  the  women  imbibed  it  at  once, 
they  would  cultivate  it  and  adhere  to  it ; and  thus 
when  they  are  not  aware  of  it  they  would  be  laying 
the  foundation  of  a competent  security  in  a stormy 
time,  and  shelter  in  a rainy  day.  The  best  way  to 


I 66  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

comprehend  it  is  to  keep  an  account  of  all  current 
expenses.  Whether  five  hundred  or  five  thousand 
dollars  are  expended  annually,  there  is  a chance  to 
save  something  if  the  effort  is  made.  Let  the  house- 
wife take  the  idea,  act  upon  it,  and  she  will  save  some- 
thing where  before  she  thought  it  impossible.  This  is 
a duty,  yet  not  a sordid  avarice  but  a mere  obligation, 
that  rests  upon  women  as  well  as  men. 

Activity  is  essential  to  man.  The  great  Creator 
■ has  made  it  a law  of  our  being,  physical,  mental  and 
moral.  He  designed  that  all  our  faculties  should  be 
diligently  employed,  and  has  given  us  rules  of  life 
corresponding  with  this  design.  The  sluggard,  in  the 
Scriptures,  is  constantly  denounced,  and  the  diligent 
man  is  constantly  commended.  Obedience  to  the 
law  of  industry  would  improve  the  state  of  human 
society  in  every  respect,  and  make  man  comparatively 
happy.  It  is  not  creditable  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
results  of  a limited  activity.  Large  natures  have 
usually  large  desires,  and  only  small  are  satisfied  with 
small. 

Some  who  have  grown  up  strangers  to  any  useful 
employment  put  forth  their  first  efforts  to  familiarize 
themselves  with  the  tricks  of  something  they  call 
speculation,  but  if  properly  named  would  be  called 
systematic  stealing,  or  it  may  be  legal  theft, — carried 
on  in  a manner  to  evade  the  law — a process  by  which 
honestly  gained  wealth  is  filched  from  its  less  wary 
owner,  and  put  into  the  pocket  of  a lounging  trickster. 
Akin  to  these  are  those  who  study  politics  for  its 
loaves  and  fishes,  or  worm  their  way  into  some  muni- 


SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS. 


167 


cipal  office,  to  the  expense  of  every  trust  that  may  fall 
into  their  hands — anything  but  honest  industry,  for 
to  that  they  are  strangers,  and  always  will  be. 

Why  not  do  business  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
in  reliance  upon  his  strength  and  guidance,  just  as  we 
perform  our  more  direct  religious  duties?  Then  could 
we  endure  the  toil  and  perplexities  of  business,  under 
the  support  of  a consciousness  of  its  importance,  the 
same  as  though  we  were  missionaries  among  the 
heathen,  or  doing  any  other  work  connected  with  the 
eternal  interests  of  men.  How  men  in  our  country, 
with  but  a part  of  their  surplus  annual  income,  might 
build  a church  or  churches,  or  support  a missionary,  or 
several  of  them,  in  heathen  lands ! If  they  had  a heart 
for  such  work,  how  they  might  enjoy  it,  and  how  cer- 
tainly multitudes  would  arise  and  call  them  blessed! 
And  it  might  be  said  to  them  in  the  last  day,  “Inas- 
much as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  did 
it  unto  me.” 

Secrets  of  Suggess. 

The  busy  world  shoves  angrily  aside 
The  man  who  stands  with  arms  akimbo  set 
Until  occasion  tells  him  what  to  do; 

And  he  who  waits  to  have  his  task  marked  out 
Shall  die  and  leave  his  errand  unfulfilled. 

Prosperity’s  right  hand  is  industry,  and  her  left  hand  is  frugality. 

Perseverance  is  the  great  agent  of  success. 

“If  you  wish  success  in  life,  make  perseverance  your 
bosom  friend,  experience  your  wise  counsellor,  caution 
your  elder  brother,  and  hope  your  guardian  genius.” 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


1 68 

Every  man  must  patiently  abide  his  time.  He 
must  wait,  not  in  idleness,  not  in  useless  pastime,  not 
in  querulous  dejection,  but  in  constantly,  steadily,  filling 
and  accomplishing  his  task,  that  when  the  occasion 
comes  he  may  be  equal  to  it.  The  talent  of  success  is 
nothing  more  than  doing  what  you  can  do  well,  without 
a thought  of  fame.  If  it  comes  at  all,  it  will  come 
because  it  is  deserved,  not  because  it  is  sought  after. 

It  is  a very  indiscreet  and  troublesome  ambition  which 
cares  so  much  about  what  the  world  says  of  us  ; to  be 
always  anxious  about  the  effect  of  what  we  do  or  say ; 
to  be  always  shouting  to  hear  the  echo  of  our  own 
voices. 

Before  such  a spirit,  especially  when  inspired  by 
right  motives,  not  only  do  obstacles  give  way,  but  they 
are  so  met  and  used  as  to  be  made  helps  and  instru- 
ments of  progress  and  success,  by  the  power  of  high 
aims  and  an  earnest  and  resolute  will.  And  the  indi- 
vidual, by  the  way  he  meets  and  overcomes  and  uses 
them,  reminds  us  of  the  fabled  specter  ships  that  were 
said  to  sail  fastest  in  the  very  teeth  of  the  wind! 

“ I have  really  nothing  for  a boy  to  do,  madam.” 

The  lady  turned  away;  she  was  too  shy  to  beg  for  . 
work  for  her  boy,  yet  if  he  could  earn  nothing  what 
were  they  to  do?  Will  Seaton  lingered  behind  his 
mother  a moment. 

“I’ll  see  mother  to  a car,  sir,  and  then  I wane  just 
a few  words  with  you.” 

Mr.  Bentley  was  astonished  at  the  manly,  respect- 
ful, yet  confident  tone;  the  boy’s  looks  were  against 
him,  and  he  had  not  been  prepossessed  in  his  favor. 


SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS. 


169 


“Certainly,”  he  said  kindly. 

In  five  minutes  the  young  fellow  was  back. 

“You  said  you  had  nothing  for  me  to  do,  sir,  but 
perhaps  you  don’t  think  all  I could  do  for  you.” 

“What,  for  instance?” 

“I  can  make  your  interests  my  own;  I can  be  faith- 
ful. I never  tell  a lie,  and  I would  think  nothing  too 
mean  or  small  for  me  to  do  ; I can  black  boots,  sir,  or  I 
can  write  a good  letter.  I wouldn’t  boast  if  it  wasn’t 
for  mother,  sir.  She  has  very  little,  and  I’m  her  only 
boy.” 

Mr.  Bentley  smiled,  but  was  touched. 

“What  recommendations  can  you  bring?” 

“Why,  mother  spoke  for  me,  sir.”  Then,  as  if 
understanding  that  a mother’s  judgment  may  be  par- 
tial, he  added:  “And  here  is  proof  that  I’m  pretty 
regular  at  my  duty.” 

He  handed  Mr.  Bentley  a pocket  Testament,  open 
at  the  fly-leaf:  “A  reward  for  punctual  attendance  at 
morning  and  afternoon  Sunday-school  for  two  years.” 
Mr.  Bentley  held  the  book  open  and  looked  up  at  the 
?ager  face. 

“I  don’t  really  need  you,  unless  you  should  prove 
a perfect  treasure.  I would  give  you  a very  low 
salary  till  I proved  you.” 

“All  right,  sir.  I told  mother  I meant  you  should 
take  me,  so  she  won’t  be  worried  if  I’m  not  back  till 
night.  What  shall  I do?” 

This  settled  the  matter;  the  boy  did  not  ask  one 
word  about  salary,  and  in  two  months’  time  he  had  so 
clearly  proved  himself  ‘a  treasure”  that  Mr.  Bentley 


I 70  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

doubled  his  salary;  and  die  gentleman’s  intimate 
friends  know  that  that  plain,  ungainly  boy,  by  his 
faithful  attention  to  duty,  bids  fair  to  be  a partner  in 
the  firm  in  future  years. 

Every  boy  wishes  to  be  successful ; and  he  thinks 
if  he  only  could  find  a sure  road  to  success  in  any 
undertaking,  he  would  not  hesitate  to  enter  it.  It  is  the 
fear  of  failure  at  the  last  that  keeps  many  from  push- 
ing on. 

There  are  three  qualities  that  will  insure  success  in 
any  walk  of  life,  namely,  ability,  integrity,  and  industry; 
and  though  at  first  it  might  seem  as  if  the  first  of  these 
must  be  a gift  and  cannot  be  cultivated,  you  will  find 
that  it  is  a fact  that  every  boy  has  ability,  if  he 
only  finds  out  in  which  line  of  study  or  action  it  lies. 
Ability  is  the  power  of  doing  a thing  well.  A boy 
should  learn  early  that  he  cannot  have  ability  in  every- 
thing ; that  is,  few  boys  have  a great  deal  of  general 
ability.  The  first  rule  should  be  that  “ whatever  is 
worth  doing  at  all,  is  worth  doing  well.”  A boy  who 
does  his  best  in  whatever  he  undertakes  will  soon  find 
in  what  direction  his  efforts  meet  with  most  marked 
success ; and  having  discovered  that,  let  him  bend  all 
his  energies  to  be  first  in  that  particular  branch  of 
study  or  work.  Better  be  a first-class  carpenter  than 
a fourth-rate  lawyer;  a good  machinist  than  a poor 
doctor. 

But  many  boys  cannot  judge  of  their  own  abilities, 
and  the  father,  who  should  study  his  son’s  peculiar 
temperament  and  characteristics,  gives  them  little 
thought.  Don’t  give  it  up;  be  on  the  watch  to  make  a 


SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS. 


I 71 


good  friend;  choose  your  associates  among  those  who 
aim  high,  not  as  to  money  or  social  standing,  but  as  to 
learning  and  earnest  Christian  living. 

A boy  should  have  at  least  one  friend  several  years 
his  senior,  who  can  guide  him  as  to  a choice  of  what 
branch  of  work  or  study  to  set  his  best  efforts  to.  He 
will,  by  earnest  endeavor,  gain  ability ; but  let  him 
guard  well  his  integrity.  There  is  more  than  truthful- 
ness; it  is  the  whole-heartedness. 

A boy  of  integrity  is  like  a stout,  staunch  ship  sail- 
ing through  the  ocean;  the  waves  may  sway  her  from 
side  to  side,  but  she  will  remain  whole  and  firm.  Boys, 
make  up  your  minds  to  be  true.  If  you  have  deceived, 
say  so  to  yourself,  and  say,  “ By  God’s  help  I’ll  stop 
short  from  this  day.  I must  earn  an  honorable  name, 
and  I will;”  and  at  whatever  cost  to  yourself,  be 
true  ; let  no  temptation  spring  a leak  in  your  heart. 

Now  about  industry : A boy  with  good  ability,  and 
integrity,  even  if  he  is  rather  lazy  and  shiftless,  will 
perhaps  get  along;  but  what  opportunity  is  lost  for 
usefulness  ! 

Boys,  remember  that  the  most  successful  men  have 
been  the  most  industrious.  It  is  easy  to  point  out 
some  rich  man  and  say,  “He  began  as  a poor  boy.” 
Yes,  but  he  worked  hard,  year  in  and  out.  One  word 
about  this  industry.  Don’t  let  it  be  simply  being 
industrious  to  be  rich.  Aim  higher  than  riches  ; store 
your  mind  with  gleanings  from  the  best  writers,  culti- 
vate a taste  for  reading,  and  let  the  success  at  which 
you  aim  be  the  approval  of  a good  conscience.  Riches 
are  not  to  be  despised;  but  it  is  only  when  they  are 


IJ2 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


united  to  learning-  and  religion  that  they  are  to  be 
envied. 

I wish  boys  would  realize  more  that  every  little 
event  of  their  boyhood  is  shaping  their  future  charac- 
ter. The  boy  who  is  more  anxious  to  understand  per- 
fectly what  he  learns  than  to  appear  to  make  great 
progress,  who  cares  more  for  acquiring  knowledge 
than  to  shine  as  a student,  will  be  a man  of  more 
ability  and  integrity  than  one  who  cares  for  the  mere 
surface  show. 

Knowledge,  to  be  of  service,  must  be  so  ready  for 
use  as  to  promptly  respond  when  required.  Certain 
persons  are  in  the  habit  of  jotting  down  in  a memo- 
randum book,  under  appropriate  heads,  what  they 
learn.  They  encounter,  however,  two  annoyances : 
the  memorandum  book  is  not  always  at  hand  when 
an  occasion  arises  for  consulting  it ; and  the  mind, 
untrained  to  retain  and  bring  forth  knowledge,  refuses 
to  respond  to  the  demand.  A writer  in  the  “ Boston 
Transcript”  gives  out  wise  suggestions  as  to  this  habit : 

After  all,  the  brain  is  the  best  and  most  reliable 
memorandum  book  ; it  is  always  at  hand,  use  enlarges 
its  capacity  and  increases  its  usefulness  and  reliability, 
and  no  one  can  read  it  but  its  owner. 

Once  let  the  brain  get  into  a receptive  and  reten- 
tive way,  and  it  will  go  on  gathering  and  holding 
information  without  any  effort  on  the  part  of  him  who 
carries  it  about,  and  before  he  knows  it  he  will  have  a 
stock  of  valuable  and  immediately  available  facts  that 
will  distance  the  best  kept  set  of  memorandum  books 
ever  written. 


SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS. 


1 73 

A trained  hand  is  a good  thing,  but  a trained  head 
is  a better  and  a scarcer.  People  talk  about  being 
“ blessed  ” with  a good  memory.  Any  man  who  has 
ordinary  mental  capacity  can  “bless”  himself  with 
that  useful  article  if  he  will  but  try. 

Don’t  rely  on  fictitious  aids.  Don’t  try  to  remem- 
ber a thing  by  remembering  something  to  remember 
it  by.  That  is  clumsy  and  roundabout.  Strive  to 
remember  the  thing  itself,  and  if  you  will  but  per- 
severe, you’ll  find  that  it  is  not  so  difficult  after  all. 

It  is  the  close  observation  of  little  things  which  is 
the  secret  of  success  in  business,  in  art,  in  science, 
and  in  every  pursuit  in  life.  Human  knowledge  is 
but  an  accumulation  of  small  facts,  made  by  successive 
generations  of  men — the  little  bits  of  knowledge  and 
experience  carefully  treasured  up  by  them  growing  at 
length  into  a mighty  pyramid. 

When  a man  speaks  with  ease,  or  writes  with  ease, 
or  paints  with  ease,  or  does  anything  with  ease  and 
gracefulness,  you  may  be  assured  it  does  not  come 
natural  for  him  to  do  so.  He  has  been  hard  at  work 
fitting  himself  for  this  very  performance.  And  his 
preparatory  work  has  by  no  means  been  pleasant  to 
him.  He  has  drudged,  because  without  drudgery  he 
could  have  no  hope  of  success.  “Of  all  the  work  that 
produces  results,”  says  a sensible  writer,  “nine-tenths 
must  be  drudgery.  There  is  no  work,  from  the  highest 
to  the  lowest,  which  can  be  done  well  by  any  man  who 
is  unwilling  to  make  that  sacrifice.  Part  of  the  very 
nobility  of  the  devotion  of  the  true  workman  to  his 
work  consists  in  the  fact  that  a man  is  not  daunted  by 


174 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH 


finding  that  drudgery  must  be  done;  and  no  man  can 
really  succeed  in  any  walk  of  life  without  possessing  a 
good  deal  of  what  is  called,  in  ordinary  English,  pluck. 
That  is  the  condition  of  all  work  whatever,  and  it  is 
the  condition  of  all  success.” 

A man  rarely  succeeds  in  after  life  who  fails  during 
his  boyhood  to  form  habits  of  industry.  No  matter 
how  great  his  natural  endowments  of  mind  and  body, 
if  he  fails  here  he  fails  everywhere.  Almost  every 
young  man  has  at  least  one  chance  for  success.  If  he 
has  the  right  stuff  in  him  he  seizes  it  and  hangs  on 
with  the  grip  of  a bulldog,  and  never  lets  go  until  suc- 
cess is  his.  It  is  just  this  capacity  for  hanging  on,  for 
sheer  hard  work,  that  distinguishes  the  successful  from 
the  unsuccessful  man. 

The  young  man  who  expects  to  find  any  profession 
or  business  a bed  of  roses  makes  a grand  mistake. 
There  is  no  end  to  the  disagreeable,  tiresome,  plod- 
ding work  that  is  necessary  to  succeed  in  any  calling, 
and  the  young  man  who  does  this  work  most  faithfully 
is  the  man  who  in  prime  of  life  wins  the  prize. 

There  is  no  reason  why  a young  man  should  not 
succeed  in  a country  like  this,  where  every  one  has  a 
fair  field  and  no  favor — at  least,  there  is  no  reason  out- 
side of  himself.  If  he  is  willing  to  pay  the  price,  the 
future  is  his  own.  He  needs  only  three  things,  integ- 
rity, industry  and  economy,  so  wrought  into  his  habits 
as  to  be  a part  of  himself.  These  habits  are  usually 
acquired  early,  if  at  all,  so  that  with  most  men  the  bat- 
tle of  life  is  fought  and  won  before  they  are  out  of 
their  teens. 


SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS. 


175 


Just  here  is  the  lesson  to  parents.  Every  father 
hopes  that  his  boy  will  be  the  eighteenth  one  who  is  to 
succeed.  The  way  to  make  the  result  a moral  cer- 
tainty is  to  train  the  boy,  while  his  character  is  form- 
ing, in  habits  of  honesty,  industry  and  economy.  This 
may  be  done  either  in  the  city  or  in  the  country,  and  if 
it  is  done,  the  boy  is  as  certain  to  succeed  as  a balloon 
is  to  rise.  Such  a boy  can’t  be  kept  down. 

Look  most  to  your  spending.  No  matter  what 
comes  in,  if  more  goes  out  you  will  always  be  poor. 
The  art  is  not  in  making  money,  but  keeping  it.  Little 
expenses,  like  mice  in  a large  barn,  when  they  are 
many,  make  great  waste.  Hairr*  by  hair  heads  get 
bald  ; straw  by  straw  the  thatch  goes  off  the  cottage, 
and  drop  by  drop  the  rain  comes  in  the  chamber.  A 
barrel  is  soon  empty,  if  the  tap  leaks  but  a drop  a 
minute.  When  you  mean  to  save,  begin  with  your 
mouth ; many  thieves  pass  down  red  lane.  The  ale 
jug  is  a great  waste.  In  all  other  things  keep  within 
compass.  Never  stretch  your  legs  further  than  the 
blankets  will  reach,  or  you  will  soon  be  cold.  In 
clothes  chose  suitable  and  lasting  stuff,  and  not  tawdry 
fineries.  To  be  warm  is  the  main  thing ; never  mind 
the  looks.  A fool  may  make  money,  but  it  needs  a 
wise  man  to  spend  it.  Remember  that  it  is  easier  to 
build  two  chimneys  than  to  keep  one  going.  If  you 
give  all  to  back  and  board,  there  is  nothing  left  for 
the  savings  bank.  Fare  hard  and  work  hard  while 
you  are  young,  and  you  will  have  a chance  to  rest 
when  you  are  old. 

Don’t  wait  tor  windfalls:  gather  your  own  apples. 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


I 76 


The  master’s  eye  puts  flesh  on  the  horse’s  bones. 
Patient,  self-denying  work  is  the  price  of  success. 
Ease  and  indolence  eat  away  not  the  price  of  capital 
only,  but  worse  still,  all  a man’s  nerve  power.  Pres- 
ent gratification  tends  to  put  off  duty  until  to-morrow 
or  next  week,  and  so  the  golden  moments  slip  by.  It 
is  getting  to  be  a rare  thing  for  the  sons  of  rich  men 
to  die  rich.  Too  often  they  squander  in  a half  score 
of  years  what  their  fathers  were  a lifetime  in  accumu- 
lating. I wish  I could  ring  it  in  the  ear  of  every 
aspiring  young  man  that  work,  hard  work,  of  head 
and  hands,  is  the  price  of  success. 

It  was  stated  not  long  ago,  in  the  newspapers,  that 
the  already  enormous  estate  of  one  speculator  in 
stocks  in  New  York  was  further  increased  last  year  by 
the  sum  of  thirty  million  dollars.  Several  other  great 
New  York  estates  were  swelled  by  speculation  in  de- 
grees only  less  colossal. 

Such  figures  are  calculated  to  stir  and  dazzle  am- 
bitious young  men,  to  whom  the  possession  of  a great 
fortune  often  appears  to  be  the  greatest  height  of 
earthly  happiness.  That  money  in  such  vast  amounts 
should  be  so  apparently  easily  and  rapidly  made, 
stimulates  the  young  minds  to  seek  similar  methods  of 
enriching  themselves. 

o 


The  increased  fortunes  which  have  been  mentioned 
were  made,  for  the  most  part,  by  pure  speculation. 
The  men  whose  pockets  were  thus  glutted  did  not 
thus  add  to  their  millions  by  hard  and  useful  labor, 
productive  and  of  added  value  to  the  community  at 
large.  Nor  did  they  receive  this  mcrease  by  the 


SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS.  I 77 

natural  and  normal  income  ot  their  already  vast  prop- 
erties. 

The  sum  thus  piled  up  came  from  wholesale  deal- 
ing in  stocks  ; by  influencing  the  money  market,  press- 
ing one  stock  down,  and  another  up,  not  for  the  finan- 
cial good  of  their  city  or  country,  but  for  their  own 
personal  profit. 

This  is  really  little  or  no  better  than  pure  gamb- 
ling ; in  one  aspect,  indeed,  it  is  worse,  since  the  opera- 
tors already  held,  in  great  sums  of  money,  winning  cards 
in  their  hands  against  their  blind  opponents  and  victims. 

It  is  not  thus,  after  all,  that  the  great  and  enduring 
fortunes  of  the  world  are  made  and  accumulated. 
Speculation  is  a wild  and  dangerous  game.  It  creates 
a perpetual,  restless  fever;  every  day,  the  largest 
fortunes  involved  in  it  are  in  peril. 

Even  the  largest  speculator  may  wake,  any  morn- 
ing, to  find  his  millions  vanished.  Such  fortunes  rest 
on  no  secure  foundation.  An  unexpected  event  may 
cause  a crash,  when  all  seems  hopeful  and  secure. 
That  is,  fortunes  made  by  speculation  in  stocks  may, 
and  often  do,  disappear  as  rapidly  as  they  are  built  up. 

The  solid  and  lasting  fortunes  are  those  which  are 
established  gradually,  step  by  step  ; by  serving  some 
useful  function  in  the  world ; by  prudence,  economy, 
and  good  judgment  in  making  sound  investments ; 
by  putting  by,  little  by  little,  each  month  and  each 
year;  nay,  'by  making  a resolve  never  to  risk  the 
hard-earned  sums  in  the  hazardous  practice  of  gambling 
in  stocks. 

If  we  observe  the  facts  which  history  teaches  us, 
12 


1 78 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


we  find  this  method  of  raising  lasting-  fortunes  the  one 
confirmed  by  events.  It  was  by  attending  to  their 
business,  by  slow  and  careful  increase,  by  proving 
themselves  trustworthy  and  faithful  to  their  clients, 
and  by  never,  on  any  account,  entering  into  bubble 
speculations,  that  such  princes  of  wealth  as  the 
Rothschilds,  the  Barings,  George  Peabody,  Peter 
Cooper,  John  Jacob  Astor  attained  their  great  financial 
influence  and  their  huge  incomes. 

All  these  men  were  engaged  in  doing  something, 
or  selling  something,  for  the  benefit  of  maifkind. 
Their  good  fortunes  came  justly  from  the  confidence 
with  which  they  inspired  those  with  whom  they  had 
relations.  Through  several  generations,  the  two 
greatest  banking  firms  in  the  world — the  Rothschilds 
and  the  Barings — have  sustained  this  reputation  for 
honesty  and  probity,  and  their  strictly  legitimate  bus- 
iness thrift.  Were  it  ever  known  that  either  engaged 
in  the  wild  speculations  of  the  stock  exchange,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  a large  portion  of  their  power, 
and  very  likely  their  fortunes  also,  would  soon  be  dis- 
sipated. 

The  best  way  is  to  acquire  money  by  hard,  honest 
work.  It  stays  longer  by  those  who  so  obtain  it; 
and  its  possession  is  far  sweeter  when  earned  by  the 
toil  of  the  brow,  than  when  it  is  got  by  the  feverish 
transactions  of  stock  gambling. 


SQUANDERING  ENERGIES. 


179 


Squandering  Energies. 

Carlyle  once  asked  an  Edinburgh  student  what 
he  was  studying  for.  The  youth  replied  that  he  had 
not  quite  made  up  his  mind.  There  was  a sudden 
flash  of  the  old  Scotchman’s  eye,  a sudden  pulling 
down  of  the  shaggy  eyebrows,  and  the  stern  face  grew 
sterner  as  he  said : “ The  man  without  a purpose  is 
like  a ship  without  a rudder — a waif,  a nothing,  a no 
man.  Have  a purpose  in  life,-  if  it  is  only  to  kill  and 
divide  and  sell  oxen  well,  but  have  a purpose ; and 
having  it,  throw  such  strength  of  mind  and  muscle  into 
your  work  as  God  has  given  you.” 

“ What  are  you  making,  Tom  ? ” asked  a lounger  in 
a blacksmith’s  shop  of  the  new  apprentice,  who  was 
hammering  away  vigorously  upon  a piece  of  iron. 

“I  don’t  know,”  replied  the  embryo  Vulcan,  “but 
I reckon  if  I keep  working  on  it,  it  will  make  some- 
thing.” 

So  he  put  the  bit  of  iron  again  into  the  fire,  and 
blew  the  bellows  until  the  ruddy,  glowing  light  reached 
every  corner  of  the  little  dingy  shop,  and  a bright 
shower  of  sparks  fell  around.  Then  when  it  was  red 
hot  he  put  it  again  upon  the  anvil,  and  hammered  it 
this  way  and  that,  expending  a great  deal  of  time  and 
muscular  energy.  At  length  he  threw  it  aside, 
exclaiming : 

o 

“There  ! I didn’t  make  anything  after  all.” 

I have  often  thought  that  many  young  people  are 


l8o  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

living  like  the  young  blacksmith.  They  have  mate- 
rials, time,  health  and  talents,  of  which  something 
noble  and  useful  should  be  made,  but  they  just  live 
along,  without  an  aim  at  anything  in  particular,  and 
with  no  idea  of  what  they  will  be  or  do.  And  so, 
before  they  are  aware,  the  close  of  life  comes  upon 
them,  and  they  find  that  they  have  “ not  made  any- 
thing, after  all.”  There  are  some  who  have  an  object 
in  view,  but  it  is  a low  one,  unworthy  the  toil  of  immor- 
tal beings.  It  may  be  the  heaping  together  of  riches,, 
sensuous  pleasures,  or  the  gratification  of  some  more 
laudable  ambition.  But  if  it  is  pursued  without  taking 
our  duty  to  God  and  our  fellow-creatures  into  account, 
and  gained,  it  will  prove  so  poor,  so  unsatisfying  in 
the  end,  that  the  same  regret  will  be  felt,  that  “ noth- 
ing has  been  made,  after  all.” 

A man  may  be  an  eternal  failure,  although  his  foot- 
steps glitter  with  gold  and  his  words  sparkle  with 
knowledge.  That  man  is  the  most  successful  in  the 
divine  kingdom  who  sets  in  motion  the  greatest 
amount  of  spiritual  power  for  the  glory  of  God,  what- 
ever may  be  the  opinions  or  rewards  of  fallen  mortals. 
For  our  part,  we  believe  in  system,  order,  method, 
to  the  full  extent  of  our  capacity  to  understand  their 
value,  we  know  that  learning,  genius,  zeal,  often  waste 
themselves  in  fruitless  self-destructive  exertions,  for 
the  lack  of  method.  We  have  no  confidence  in  blind 
force.  Crooked  and  gnarled  oaks  cannot  be  split  in 
straight  lines,  or  by  the  blunt  end  of  the  wedge  with 
ever  so  great  an  outlay  of  power.  Power  working  in  ■ 
the  wrong  direction  is  at  a ruinous  disadvantage,  and 


SQUANDERING  ENERGIES.  l8l 

the  greater  the  power,  in  such  a case,  the  greater  the 
danger,  damage  and  disaster. 

Men  do  not  like  to  face  their  circumstances,  and 
so  they  turn  their  backs  on  the  truth.  They  try  all 
sorts  of  schemes  to  get  out  of  their  difficulties,  and 
like  the  Banbury  tinker,  they  make  three  holes  in  the 
saucepan  to  mend  one.  They  are  like  Pedley,  who 
burned  a penny- candle  in  looking  for  a farthing.  They 
borrow  of  Peter  to  pay  Paul,  and  then  Peter  is  let  in 
for  it.  At  last  people  fight  shy  of  them,  and  say  that 
they  are  as  honest  as  a cat  when  the  meat  is  out  of 
reach,  and  they  murmur  that  plain  dealing  is  dead, 
and  died  without  issue.  Too  much  cunning  overdoes 
its  work,  and  in  the  long  run  there  is  no  craft  which  is 
so  wise  as  simple  honesty. 

I would  not  be  hard  on  a poor  fellow,  nor  pour 
water  on  a drowned  mouse  ; if  through  misfortune  the 
man  can’t  pay,  why  he  can’t  pay,  and  let  him  say  so, 
and  do  the  honest  thing  with  what  little  he  has,  and 
kind  hearts  will  feel  for  him.  It  is  hard  to  sail  over 
the  sea  in  an  egg-shell,  and  it  is  not  much  easier 
to  pay  your  way  when  your  capital  is  all  gone.  Out 
of  nothing  comes  nothing,  and  you  may  turn  your 
nothing  over  a long  time  before  it  will  grow  into  a ten 
pound  note.  The  way  to  Babylon  will  never  bring 
you  to  Jerusalem,  and  borrowing,  and  diving  deeper 
into  debt,  will  never  get  a man  out  of  difficulties.  Let 
the  poor,  unfortunate  tradesman  hold  to  his  honest) 
as  he  would  to  his  life.  The  straight  road  is  th( 
shortest  cut.  Better  break  stones  on  the  road  than 
break  the  law  of  God. 


182 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


There  are  other  ways  of  using  the  old  saying.  It 
is  hard  for  a hypocrite  to  keep  up  his  profession. 
Empty  sacks  can’t  stand  upright  in  a church  any  better 
than  in  a granary.  Prating  does  not  make  saints,  or 
there  would  be  plenty  of  them.  Long  prayers  and 
loud  professions  only  deceive  the  simple,  and  those 
who  see  further  than  the  surface  soon  spy  out  the 
wolf  under  the  sheepskin. 

If  we  could  only  sooner  give  up  thinking  to 
“gather  grapes  from  thorns  and  figs  from  thistles,” 
we  would  be  spared  some  of  life’s  sorest  disappoint- 
ments. But  we  can  never  quite  believe  that  in  our 
garden  like  will  invariably  produce  like:  and  so  we  go 
on  and  on  industriously  cultivating  the  ugly,  thorny 
stalks  we  have  so  long  cherished,  sure  that  some  day 
they  will  bud  and  blossom,  and  bear  delicious  fruit. 
We  dig  and  plant,  and  water  and  wait  — for  a full 
harvest  of  thorns. 

There  is  something  in  this  phrase,  which  we  hear 
every  day,  that  set  us  to  thinking  this  morning  as  a 
young  man  passed  out  of  a shop  of  one  of  our  friends. 
“I  am  sorry  for  that  poor  fellow;  it  seems  that  he  can’t 
get  along,”  said  the  proprietor  of  the  store. 

Why  not?  That  young  man  was  a good  accoun- 
tant, an  elegant  penman,  did  not  drink  nor  gamble, 
and  his  integrity  was  undoubted,  and  yet  he  fails  to 
get  along.  He  has  neither  wife  nor  child,  no  poor 
relation,  no  crippled  brother  nor  bed-ridden  aunt  to 
support,  but  he  fails  to  get  along.  What  were  his 
defects?  He  lacked  punctuality.  Lie  wanted  neither 
industry  nor  ability,  but  that  nature  given  instinct  of 


SQUANDERING  ENERGIES. 


185 

the  western  world — energy.  He  was  always  a little 
behind  time.  Appoint  his  own  hour  to  meet  him,  and 
you  were  sure  to  be  detained  from  ten  minutes  to  half 
an  hour  waiting  for  him.  He  had  some  excuse  always 
on  the  tip  of  his  tongue,  but  you  never  felt  sure  of 
your  man. 

In  the  business  world  an  unpunctual  man  is  simply 
a robber,  for  he  not  only  consumes  his  time  when 
belonging  to  other  people,  but  wastes  theirs  by  his 
delays. 

The  watched  pot  never  boils  ; there  are  people  for- 
ever in  search  for  happiness  who  never  find  it. 
Happiness  oftenest  comes  by  indirection.  You  are 
intent  on  duty,  and  are  surprised  tg>  find  you  have 
stumbled  on  more  than  you  sought!  To  make  happi- 
ness an  end  of  your  seeking  is  an  easy  way  not  to  find 
it.  It  is  a coy  blessing.  Hovering  about  your  path 
it  yet  eludes  your  grasp.  Attempt  to  put  your  hands 
on  it,  and,  like  the  wild  gazelle  upon  the  mountains,  it 
bounds  away.  The  search  for  happiness  is  like  the 
search  for  the  end  of  the  rainbow — it  recedes  as  you 
advance.  You  cannot  capture  it.  After  all  your 
planning  and  straining  after  happiness,  you  will  have 
to  give  up  the  pursuit  and  content  yourself  with  fol- 
lowing the  plain  and  plodding  path  of  duty,  and  to 
find  your  joy  in  fidelity  to  conscience  and  in  obedience 
to  the  divine  will.  Once  in  this  state,  happiness  comes 
to  you  unsought,  dropping  down,  as  it  were,  from  the 
skies — a surprising  benediction  in  the  midst  of  your 
cares  and  burdens,  as  though  it  would  say  to  you  : 
“You  could  not  capture  me,  but  lo  ! I am  here,  and  at 


184 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


your  service.”  In  attaining  this  blessing  imitate  the 
boatman  who,  in  crossing  the  stream,  directs  his  prow 
above  the  point  of  destination,  and  so  makes  sure  of  it. 
Aim  at  something  higher  than  happiness;  aim  to  be 
good,  holy,  pure  and  true,  and  the  higher  will  be  sure 
to  include  the  lower. 

“The  weakest  living  creature,”  says  Carlyle,  “by 
concentrating  his  powers  on  a single  object,  can 
accomplish  something;  whereas  the  strongest,  by  dis- 
persing his  over  many,  may  fail  to  accomplish  any- 
thing.” Have  we  difficulties  to  contend  with?  Then 
work  through  them.  No  exorcism  charms  like  labor. 
Idleness  of  mind  and  body  resembles  rust.  It  wears 
more  than  work.^  “I  would  rather  work  out  than  rust 
out,”  said  a noble  worker.  Schiller  said  that  he  found 
the  greatest  happiness  in  life  to  consist  in  the  perform- 
ance of  some  mechanical  duty. 

With  the  civilized  man,  contentment  is  a myth. 
From  the  cradle  to  the  grave  he  is  forever  longing 
and  striving  after  something  better,  an  indefinable 
something,  some  new  object  yet  unattained.  Our 
Master  has  fitted  our  work  to  our  hands,  knowing  our 
ability,  understanding  our  difficulties,  considering  our 
weakness,  but  not  indolence,  and  leaving  no  place  in 
all  Zion  for  idle  hands  to  fold  themselves  to  slumber. 

The  Christian  who  is  always  finding  difficulties  in 
his  own  way  is  pretty  certain  to  be  an  effectual  block 
in  somebody  else’s  way.  There  ever  seem  to  be 
difficulties  in  plenty  for  one  who  spends  the  time  in 
hunting  after  them ; but  they  either  vanish  before  the 
resolute  soul  that  presses  forward  toward  the  mark  of 


STRENGTH  OF  CHARACTER. 


I85 


the  high  calling  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  or 
else  grace  is  given  to  overcome  them  as  they  are  met. 
The  point  is  simply  to  press  forward ; and  above  all 
things,  to  make  sure  that  oneself  is  not  a difficulty. 

The  thing  which  an  active  mind  most  needs,  is  a 
purpose  and  direction  worthy  of  its  activity.  The 
dread  that  we  have  that  precious  hopes  will  never  be 
realized  is  more  than  half  of  the  burden  that  we  have 
to  bear.  Better  fail  a thousand  times,  and  in  every- 
thing else,  than  attempt  to  shape  for  yourself  a life 
without  God,  without  hope  in  Christ,  and  without  an 
interest  in  heaven.  But  those  who  have  a high,  pure 
aim  in  life,  some  noble  end  to  be  accomplished  for  the 
benefit  of  our  fellow  creatures,  and  the  advancement 
of  the  interests  of  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom,  if  such  an 
object  is  labored  and  striven  for,  in  the  strength  of  the 
Lord,  something  precious  and  beautiful  in  the  sight  of 
God  and  the  angels  will  be  formed,  a full  and  com- 
pletely rounded  life,  answering  the  end  for  which  it 
was  created. 


-i-+# 


S++ 


Strength  op  (©ha^agtei^. 

It  is  often  said  that  knowledge  is  power,  and  this  is 
true.  For  faculty  of  any  kind  carries  with  it  superi- 
ority. So,  to  a certain  extent,  wealth  is  power,  and 
genius  has  a transcendent  gift  of  mastery  over  men. 
But  higher,  purer,  and  better  than  all,  more  consistent 
in  its  influence  and  more  lasting  in  its  sway,  is  the 


i86 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


power  of  character;  that  power  which  emanates  from 
a pure  and  lofty  mind. 

Take  any  community — who  is  the  man  of  influ- 
ence? To  whom  do  all  look  up  with  reverence?  Not 
the  “smartest”  man,  nor  the  cleverest  politician,  nor 
the  most  brilliant  talker,  but  he  who  in  a long  course 
of  years,  tried  by  the  extremes  of  prosperity  and 
adversity,  has  approved  himself  to  the  judgment  of  his 
neighbors,  and  all  who  have  seen  his  life,  as  worthy  to 
be  called  wise  and  good. 

The  best  advertisement  of  a workshop  is  first-class 
work.  The  strongest  attraction  to  Christianity  is  a 
well-made  Christian  character. 

Character  is  a plant  of  the  slowest  growth.  A 
completely  fashioned  will  is  the  achievement  of  such 
grand  and  beautiful  proportions  that  infinite  care  and 
pains  may  well  be  spent  on  its  foundations,  and  its 
gradual  building  up,  part  after  part,  into  commanding 
height  and  spacious  breadth  and  noble  symmetry. 
Truly,  the  foundations  of  this  structure  are  deeper 
than  our  visible  and  conscious  individual  life.  They 
are  many  generations  deep. 

If  you  would  build  a good  character,  don’t  expect 
to  do  it  in  a day,  a month,  or  even  a year;  for  you  will 
be  disappointed,  as  it  will  take  a lifetime.  Commence 
by  laying  a good  and  broad  foundation,  and  then  let 
the  structure  rise  slowly  and  surely.  Christ  must  be 
the  foundation  stone.  It  takes  years  and  years  to  ob- 
tain a good  education,  and  then  a student  is  always 
acquiring  more  knowledge.  To  acquire  a pure,  strong 
character  is  the  holiest  and  grandest  work  of  man. 


STRENGTH  OF  CHARACTER. 


187 


One  speaks  as  follows  of  character:  It  makes 
friends,  creates  funds,  draws  patronage  and  support 
and  opens  a sure  way  to  honor,  wealth  and  happiness. 
Dr.  Vincent  says : “ An  ounce  of  heart  is  worth  a ton 
of  culture;  the  mightiest  force  in  the  world  is  heart- 
force.”  “Like  November  roses  blooming  in  the  midst 
of  winter’s  bleakness ; like  green  oases  in  the  sandy 
desert;  like  the  great  gulf  stream,  which  flows  from 
the  Western  world  through  the  ocean,  yet  distinct 
from  it  in  color  and  warmth ; so  should  Christians  be 
in  the  world — of  it,  but  not  confounded  with  it.  As  the 
Jews  have  ever  been  a peculiar  people  by  their  man- 
ners, appearance  and  religion,  so  should  Christians,  by 
the  holiness  of  their  lives,  be  distinguished  from  all  the 
world  besides.” 

Only  what  we  have  wrought  into  our  characters 
during  life  can  we  take  away  with  us.  The  patient 
pursuance  of  a high  ideal  is  the  crucial  test  of  nature ; 
desperately  to  miss  it  may  be  the  final  discipline  of  char- 
acter. The  trials  and  temptations  of  this  life  are 
making  us  fit  for  the  life  to  come — building  up  a char- 
acter for  eternity.  You  have  been  in  a piano  manu- 
factory ; did  you  ever  go  there  for  the  sake  of  music  ? 
Go  into  the  tuning- room  and  you  will  say  ; “ This  is  a 
dreadful  place  to  be  in ; I cannot  bear  it ; I thought 
you  made  music  here.” 

Composure  is  very  often  the  highest  result  of 
strength.  Did  we  never  see  a man  receive  a flagrant 
insult,  and  only  grow  a little  pale  and  then  reply  qui- 
etly? That  was  a man  spiritually  strong.  Or  did  we 
never  see  a man  in  anguish  stand,  as  if  carved  out  of 


i88 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


solid  rock,  mastering  himself?  or  one  bearing  a hope- 
less daily  trial  remain  silent,  and  never  tell  the  world 
what  it  was  that  cankered  his  home-peace  ? That  is 
strength.  He  who  with  strong  passions  remains 
chaste;  he  who,  keenly  sensitive,  with  manly  power  of 
indignation  in  him,  can  be  provoked  and  yet  refrain 
himself,  and  forgive: — these  are  strong  men,  spiritual 
heroes. 

The  human  soul,  as  it  exists,  can  be  made  perfect 
only  through  struggle  and  suffering.  Nowhere  else 
have  these  elements  so  beneficent  an  office  as  in  the 
case  of  man.  The  higher  manifestations  of  character 
spring  almost  entirely  from  the  soil  of  sorrow.  If  we 
should  strike  out  from  human  history  the  heroic  and 
saintly  characters  which  have  been  born  from  suffer- 
ing, all  that  is  noble  and  reverent  in  it  would  depart. 
If  we  should  strike  from  literature  all  to  which  sorrow 
has  given  birth,  its  inspiration  would  perish  forever, 
Even  the  presence  of  death  has  brought  a solemn  ten- 
derness and  dignity  into  human  affection,  which  had 
otherwise  been  impossible.  Virtue,  too,  acquires  stur- 
diness only  from  resisted  temptations;  and  even  mind 
itself  grows  only  through  obstacle  and  resistance. 

“ Can  you  judge  a man’s  character  by  his  desires  ?” 
I answer,  yes.  I will  give  you  the  other  side  of  the 
question,  that  you  may  see  your  own  side  all  the  more 
clearly.  You  may  certainly  judge  a bad  man  by  his 
desires.  Here  is  a man  who  desires  to  be  a thief. 
Well,  he  is  a thief  in  heart  and  spirit.  Who  would 
trust  him  in  his  house  now  that  he  knows  that  he  groans 
to  rob  and  steal?  Here  is  a man  who  desires  to  bean 


STRENGTH  OF  CHARACTER.  189 

adulterer — is  he  not  in  God’s  sight  already  such  ? Did 
not  Jesus  tell  us  so  ? Here  is  a man  who  desires  to  be  a 
Sabbath-breaker,  but  he  is  compelled  by  his  situation 
to  attend  the  house  of  God:  he  is  really  in  God’s  sight 
a Sabbath  breaker,  because  he  would  follow  his  own 
works  on  God’s  holy  day  if  he  had  an  opportunity. 
The  desire  to  commit  a fraud,  and  especially  the 
earnest  desire  to  do  it,  would  prove  a man  to  be  a vil- 
lain at  heart.  If  a man  were  to  say,  “I  want  to  cut 
my  enemy’s  throat,  I am  full  of  revenge,  I am  groaning 
to  murder  him,”  is  he  not  a murderer  already  before 
God?  Let  us,  then,  measure  out  justice  in  our  own 
case  by  the  rule  which  we  allow  towards  others. 

The  habit  of  willing  is  called  purpose,  and,  from 
what  has  been  said,  the  importance  of  forming  a right 
purpose  early  in  life  will  be  obvious.  “Character,” 
says  Novalis,  “is  a completely-fashioned  will;”  and 
the  will,  when  once  fashioned,  may  be  steady  and 
constant  for  life.  When  the  true  man,  bent  on  good, 
holds  by  his  purpose,  he  places  but  small  value  on  the 
rewards  or  praises  of  the  world  ; his  own  approving 
conscience,  and  the  “well-done”  which  awaits  him,  is 
his  best  reward. 

The  first  Lord  Shaftesbury,  in  a conversation  with 
Locke,  broached  a theory  of  character  and  conduct 
which  threw  a light  upon  his  own.  He  said  that 
wisdom  lay  in  the  heart  and  not  in  the  head,  and 
that  it  was  not  the  want  of  knowledge  but  the  per- 
verseness of  will  that  filled  men’s  actions  with  folly,  and 
their  lives  with  disorder.  Mere  knowledge  does  not 
give  vigor  to  character.  A man  may  reason  too 


190  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

much.  He  may  weigh  the  thousand  probabilities  on 
either  side,  and  come  to  no  action,  no  decision. 
Knowledge  is  thus  a check  upon  action.  The  will 
must  act  in  the  light  of  the  spirit  and  the  understand- 
ing, and  the  soul  then  springs  into  full  life  and  action. 

It  is,  therefore,  of  the  utmost  importance  that  atten- 
tion should  be  directed  to  the  improvement  and 
strengthening  of  the  Will ; for  without  this  there  can 
neither  be  independence,  nor  firmness,  nor  individuality 
of  character.  Without  it  we  cannot  give  truth  its 
proper  force,  nor  morals  their  proper  direction,  nor 
save  ourselves  from  being  machines  in  the  hands  of 
worthless  and  designing  men.  Intellectual  cultivation 
will  not  give  decision  of  character.  Philosophers  dis- 
cuss ; decisive  men  act.  “Not  to  resolve,”  says 
Bacon,  “ is  to  resolve  ” — that  is  to  do  nothing. 

No  man  can  rise  above  the  constraining  considera- 
tions which  spring  from  interest,  feeling,  safety,  pleas- 
ure, in  reference  to  all  minor  questions  of  duty,  save 
as  he  resolves  religion  into  some  great  general  princi- 
ples and  purposes,  from  the  decision  of  which  there  is 
no  appeal.  These  principles,  wisely  adopted  and  well 
understood,  will  marshal  all  the  chances  and  changes 
of  life,  all  its  untoward  events,  all  its  interfering  agen- 
cies, so  that  they  shall  fall  into  ranks  like  well-trained 
soldiers  under  the  command  of  a superior  officer. 
They  simplify  religion,  disentangle  it  from  all  purely 
selfish  influences,  from  the  bias  of  worldly  interests, 
from  the  guile  of  passion,  and  leave  a man  free  to 
glorify  God  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

How  simple  and  sublime  the  character,  deriving  its 


STRENGTH  OF  CHARACTER.  I 9 1 

greatness  and  worth  from  God  and  duty ! How 
grandly  independent  is  he  who  knows  no  fear  but  the 
fear  of  God,  who  seeks  no  favor  but  the  smile  of 
Jesus,  and  whose  single  eye  scans  all  things,  great  and 
small,  in  the  light  which  no  shadow  can  eclipse!  His 
life  regulated  by  one  great  pervading  law  and  purpose, 
he  escapes  aK  the  trials  by  which  feebler  and  less 
decided  Christians  are  tormented  and  impeded.  His 
heart,  consecrated  in  all  its  plans  and  purposes,  falters 
not  at  sacrifice,  or  peril,  or  suffering.  Difficulties  and 
doubts  he  has  none.  His  religion  is  to  him  a law  that 
never  changes.  His  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  the 
Lord.  His  plan  of  life  settled  scripturally,  advisedly, 
and  in  the  fear  of  God,  he  is  not  to  be  bought  or 
bribed,  frightened  or  defeated. 

Turning  neither  to  the  right  nor  left,  he  moves 
right  on.  If,  along  his  pathway,  the  den  of  lions 
opens,  he  lies  down  and  lodges  for  the  night,  and  in 
the  morning  tells  how  the  angel  kept  him.  If  the  fur- 
nace be  kindled  to  test  or  to  destroy  him,  he  walks 
unburned  in  the  flame,  and  comes  forth  without  the 
smell  of  fire  upon  his  garments.  Escaped  from  the 
shallows  and  the  breakers  where  so  many  toil  with  una- 
vailing oar,  he  has  launched  on  the  deep,  and,  favored 
by  wind  and  tide,  looks  with  lively  hope  for  an  abun- 
dant entrance  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Nothing  of  character  is  really  permanent  but  virtue 
and  personal  worth.  These  remain.  Whatever  of 
excellence  is  wrought  into  the  soul  itself  belongs  to 
both  worlds.  Real  emodness  does  not  attach  itself 

o 


192 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


merely  to  this  life;  it  points  to  another  world.  Politi- 
cal or  professional  reputation  cannot  last  forever;  but 
a conscience  void  of  offense  before  God  and  man,  is 
an  inheritance  for  eternity.  Religion , therefore,  is  a 
necessary  and  indispensable  element  in  any  great 
human  character.  There  is  no  living  without  it. 
Religion  is  the  tie  that  connects  man  with  his  Creator, 
and  holds  him  to  his  throne.  If  that  tie  be  all  sun- 
dered, all  broken,  he  floats  away,  a worthless  atom  in 
the  universe;  its  proper  attractions  all  gone,  its  destiny 
thwarted,  and  its  whole  future  nothing  but  darkness, 
desolation,  and  death.  A man  with  no  sense  of  relief- 
ious  duty  is  he  whom  the  Scriptures  describe,  in  such 
terse  but  terrific  language,  as  living  “without  God  in 
the  world.”  Such  a man  is  out  of  his  proper  being, 
out  of  the  circle  of  all  his  duties,  out  of  the  circle  of  all 
his  happiness,  and  away,  far,  far  away,  from  the  pur- 
poses of  his  creation. 


Strength  of  Influence. 

Bound  together,  as  we  are,  by  the  ties  of  a com- 
mon nature  and  of  mutual  dependence,  every  man  is 
a fountain  of  influence,  good  or  bad,  conservative  or 
destructive.  Whether  he  will  or  not,  he  is  an  ex- 
ample. His  language,  spirit,  actions,  habits,  his  very 
manners,  all  tell — forming  the  taste,  moulding  the 
character,  and  shaping  the  course  of  others,  to  the  end 
of  time.  No  man  liveth  to  himself.  He  cannot.  Ap- 


STRENGTH  OF  INFLUENCE. 


193 


parently  he  may,  but  really  he  does  not  His  plans 
and  his  aspirations  may  all  revolve  around  himself  as 
a common  centre,  but  within  and  without  their  orbits 
will  be  concentric  circles,  enclosing  other  agents  and 
other  interests.  He  may  rear  walls  around  his  posses- 
sions, call  his  lands  by  his  own  name,  and  his  inward 
thought  may  be,  as  the  world  phrase  it,  to  take  care  of 
himself  and  his  dependents  ; but  he  can  neither  limit 
the  effect  of  his  plans  nor  forecast  the  inheritance  of. 
his  estate.  Another  enters  even  into  his  labors. 
Disruptive  changes  abolish  his  best-concerted  schemes, 
and  scatter  to  the  winds  all  the  securities  by  which  he 
sought  to  fence  and  individualize  his  OAvn  peculiar 
interest. 

“Gather  up  my  influence  and  bury  it  with  me,” 
were  the  dying  words  of  a young  man  to  the  weeping 
friends  at  his  bedside,  as  stated  to  the  writer  a while 
since  by  one  to  whom  he  was  dear.  What  a wish  was 
this!  What  deep  anguish  of  heart  there  must  have 
been  as  the  young  man  reflected  upon  his  past  life!  a 
life  which  had  not  been  what  it  should  have  been. 
With  what  deep  regrets  must  his  very  soul  have  been 
filled  as  he  thought  of  those  young  men  whom  he  had 
influenced  for  evil ! — influences  which  he  felt  must  if 
possible  be  eradicated,  and  which  led  him,  faintly  but 
pleadingly,  to  breathe  out  such  a dying  request, 
“Gather  up  my  influence  and  bury  it  with  me.” 

My  young  friends,  the  influence  of  your  lives,  for 
good  or  evil,  cannot  be  gathered  up  by  your  friends 
after  your  eyes  are  closed  in  death,  no  matter  how 

earnestly  you  may  plead  in  your  last  moments  on 
13 


i94 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


earth.  Your  influence  has  gone  out  from  you ; you 
alone  were  responsible;  you  had  the  power  to  govern, 
to  shape;  your  influence  no  human  being  can  with- 
draw. Such  a request  cannot  be  fulfilled.  It  is  im- 
possible. 

We  are  either  scattering  abroad,  or  gathering  in 
the  great  harvest  field  of  souls.  A word,  a look,  an 
apparently  unimportant  act,  may  affect  the  eternal 
interests  of  some  young  man  who  is  quietly  looking  to 
us  for  example.  They  easily  see  if  we  are  hankering 
after  the  follies  and  amusements  of  this  world,  or  if  we 
are  living  what  we  profess.  A young  man  some  time 
ago,  in  accepting  an  invitation  to  an  evening’s  enter- 
tainment, found  himself  unexpectedly  in  a company 
where  all  were  engaged  in  card-playing  and  wine- 
drinking. He  could  not  leave  the  circle,  nor  express 
his  disapprobation  of  the  condition  of  things,  but  sit 
quietly  by  and  lift  a prayer  for  the  dear  friends 
around  him,  which  he  did,  and  departed  for  his  home 
at  the  close  of  the  evening. 

Years  passed,  the  circumstance  had  nearly  left  his 
memory.  One  day  a friend  inquired,  “Do  you  re- 
member being  present  at  an  evening  party  when  all 
but  yourself  were  engaged  in  card-playing  and  wine- 
drinking? You  sat  silently  by,  saying  nothing  on  the 
subject,  but  refusing  to  participate.  A.  was  among 
the  guests.  Your  silent  disapproval  smote  his  heart 
and  was  the  means  of  his  conversion.”  Reader,  what 
influence  are  you  exerting  day  by  day  in  your  walk  in 
life,  as  a professed  follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 
Are  you  as  a light  set  upon  a hill,  that  others  may 


STRENGTH  OF  INFLUENCE. 


J95 


take  knowledge  of  you,  that  you  are  living  and  acting 
day  by  day  as  you  have  professed  to  believe?  What 
is  your  silent  influence  among  the  young  men  of  your 
acquaintance? 

We  are  touching  our  fellow-being's  on  all  sides. 
They  are  affected  for  good  or  for  evil  by  what  we  are, 
by  what  we  say  and  do,  even  by  what  we  think  and 
feel.  May-flowers  in  the  parlor  breathe  their  fra- 
grance through  the  atmosphere.  We  are  each  of  us 
as  silently  saturating  the  atmosphere  about  us  with  the 
subtile  aroma  of  our  character.  In  the  family  circle, 
besides  and  beyond  all  the  teaching,  the  daily  life  of 
each  parent  and  child  mysteriously  modifies  the  life  of 
every  person  in  the  household.  The  same  process  on 
a wider  scale  is  going  on  through  the  community. 
Others  are  built  up  and  strengthened  by  our  uncon- 
scious deeds;  and  others  may  be  wrenched  out  of 
their  places  and  thrown  down  by  our  unconscious 
influence. 

If  we  have  been  denied  those  extraordinary  talents 
which  ever  give  their  possessors  such  influence,  we 
are  apt  to  imagine  there  is  nothing  for  us  to  do.  But 
this  is  not  so  : 

Every  one  though  poor  and  humble, 

Has  a mission  to  fulfill, 

Every  hand  though  small  and  feeble, 

Can  work  out  some  good  or  ill. 

We,  then,  who  may  mourn  over  the  want  of  talents, 
the  inability  to  accomplish  great  things,  should  take 
courage.  Though  we  be  not  distinguished  for  brill- 
iant acquirements,  though  the  worldly  and  the  gay 
seek  not  our  society,  though  listening  senates  and 


196 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


crowded  assemblies  hang  not  upon  the  eloquence  of 
our  tongue,  yet  we  may  exert  an  influence,  unob- 
served save  by  an  all-seeing  eye,  an  influence  gentle 
as  the  dew-drop,  sweet  as  the  fragrant  flower — which 
will  live  when  the  vain  and  frivolous  are  forgotten, 
when  the  statesman  and  the  orator  are  stilled  in  death. 
If  we  have  soothed  one  aching  heart,  if  we  have  spo- 
ken one  word  of  encouragement  to  an  erring  brother, 
if  we  have  given  even  a cup  of  cold  water  to  one  of 
the  household  of  faith,  we  are  not  living  in  vain.  Such 
deeds  though  seemingly  trifling,  are  precious  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  are  recorded  in  his  jeweled  ledgers 
in  characters  as  imperishable  as  eternity. 

The  mother  of  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  a pious 
woman  of  the  south  of  England,  died  when  he  was 
but  seven  years  old,  leaving  him  only  the  memory  of 
her  religious  teaching  and  goodness.  At  an  early  age 
he  became  a dissipated  sailor.  The  memory  of  his 
mother  brought  him  to  himself  and  started  a stream 
of  incalculable  influence.  Through  him  Claudius 
Buchanan  was  converted,  who  became  a missionary  to 
India.  He  wrote  “The  Star  in  the  East,”  which  made 
Adoniram  Judson  a missionary  to  India.  Newton  was 
also  the  means  of  converting  Thomas  Scott,  the  com- 
mentator. Through  him  Cowper  was  rescued  from 
despondency,  and  his  harp  tuned  to  the  key  of  relig- 
ion. His  influence  upon  the  career  of  Wilberforce  is 
asserted,  and  also  that  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade 
was  one  of  its  remote  results.  Wilberforce  wrote  “ A 
Practical  View  of  Christianity,”  a useful  book,  the 
instrument  of  converting  Leigh  Richmond,  the  author 


STRENGTH  OF  INFLUENCE,, 


197 


of  “ The  Dairy-man’s  Daughter,”  which  has  saved 
thousands.  Back  of  it  all  stands  the  faithful  mother  of 
John  Newton. 

Many  a man  has  not  got  so  far  from  your  sympa- 
thy but  that  one  word,  kindly  said  in  his  ear,  “ My 
friend,  you  are  going  wrong,”  will  check  him.  The 
difficulty  is  that  we  let  men  go  so  far  from  our  sym- 
pathy that  we  cannot  reach  them.  Now,  it  is  this  in- 
dividual work  that  I believe  is  to  reform  the  world,  and 
bring  it  back  to  God„ 

Indeed,  the  learning  of  letters  and  words  and  sen- 
tences is  not  of  the  importance  that  some  think  it  to 
be.  Learning  has  nothing  to  do  with  goodness  or 
happiness.  It  may  destroy  humility  and  give  place  to 
pride.  The  chief  movers  of  men  have  been  little  ad- 
dicted to  literature.  Literary  men  have  often  attained 
to  greatness  of  thought  which  influences  men  in  all 
ages;  but  they  rarely  attain  to  moral  greatness  of 
action. 

Alexander  Knox  says,  “ Feeling  will  be  best  excited 
by  sympathy ; rather  it  cannot  be  excited  in  any  other 
way.  Heart  must  act  upon  heart:  the  idea  of  a living 
person  being  essential  to  all  intercourse  of  heart” 
True  manliness  can  only  exist  when  the  good  is  sought 
for  its  own  sake,  either  as  a recognized  law  of  pure 
duty,  or  from  the  feeling  of  the  constraining  beauty  of 
virtue.  This  alone  reacts  upon  the  human  character. 

Men  are  regenerated,  not  so  much  by  truth  in  the 
abstract,  as  by  the  divine  inspiration  that  comes  through 
human  goodness  and  sympathy.  That  is  the  touch  of 
nature  which  “makes  the  whole  world  akin.”  The  man 


198 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


who  throws  himself  into  the  existence  of  another,  and 
exerts  his  utmost  efforts  to  help  him  in  all  ways — 
socially,  morally,  religiously — exerts  a divine  influence. 
He  is  enveloped  in  the  strongest  safeguard.  He  bids 
defiance  to  selfishness.  He  comes  out  of  his  trial 
humble,  yet  noble. 

Be  as  careful  of  the  books  you  read  as  of  the  com- 
pany you  keep;  for  your  habits  and  character  will  be 
as  much  influenced  by  the  former  as  the  latter,, 

Nothing  takes  place  without  leaving  traces  behind 
it;  and  these  are  in  many  cases  so  distinct  and  various, 
as  to  leave  not  a doubt  of  their  cause.  We  all  under- 
stand how,  in  the  material  world,  events  testify  of 
themselves  to  future  ages.  Should  we  visit  an  unknown 
region,  and  behold  masses  of  lava  covered  with  soil  of 
different  degrees  of  thickness,  and  surrounding  a 
blackened  crater,  we  should  have  as  firm  a persuasion 
of  the  occurrence  of  remote  and  successive  volcanic 
eruptions  as  if  we  had  lived  through  the  ages  in  which 
they  took  place.  The  chasms  of  the  earth  would 
report  how  terribly  it  had  been  shaken,  and  the  awful 
might  of  long  extinguished  fires  would  be  written  in 
desolations  which  ages  had  failed  to  efface.  Now 
conquest,  and  civil  and  religious  revolutions,  leave 
institutions,  manners,  and  a variety  of  monuments,  which 
are  inexplicable  without  them,  and  which,  taken 
together,  admit  not  a doubt  of  their  occurrence. 

No  human  being  can  come  into  this  world  without 
increasing  or  diminishing  the  sum  total  of  human  hap- 
piness, not  only  of  present,  but  of  every  subsequent 
age  of  humanity.  No  one  can  detach  himself  from 


CONSTANCY. 


199 


this  connection.  There  is  no  sequestered  spot  in  the 
universe,  no  dark  niche  along  the  disc  of  non-existence, 
to  which  he  can  retreat  from  his  relations  to  others, 
where  he  can  withdraw  the  influence  of  his  existence 
upon  the  moral  destiny  of  the  world ; everywhere  his 
presence  or  absence  will  be  felt — everywhere  he  will 
have  companions  who  will  be  better  or  worse  for  his 
influence.  It  is  an  old  saying,  and  one  of  fearful  and 
fathomless  import,  that  we  are  forming  characters  for 
eternity.  Forming  characters  ! Whose  ? our  own  or 
others  ? Both ; and  in  that  momentous  fact  lies  the 
peril  and  responsibility  of  our  existence.  Who  is  suf- 
ficient for  the  thought  ? Thousands  of  my  fellow-beings 
will  yearly  enter  eternity  with  characters  differing  from 
those  they  would  have  carried  thither  had  I never  lived. 
The  sunlight  of  that  world  will  reveal  my  finger-marks 
in  their  primary  formations,  and  in  their  successive 
strata  of  thought  and  life. 

— *44^ — 

©ONSTANGY. 

Without  constancy  there  is  neither  love,  friendship  nor  virtue  in  the  world. 

Plodding  zeal  is  better  than  spasmodic  zeal.  You 
can  count  on  it,  but  you  never  know  when  spasmodic 
zeal  will  burn  out.  It  is  the  difference  between  a good 
solid  stove  thorougly  warmed  for  a long  winter  night 
with  anthracite  coal,  and  a sheet-iron  stove  red  hot  with 
a handful  of  shavings.  How  soon  the  red  glare  fades 
into  darkness  when  the  shavings  are  gone!  And  how 


200 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


soon  they  are  gone ! Give  us  the  plodding  tortoise 
every  time  rather  than  the  over-confident,  frivolous 
hare. 

How  it  stirs  the  nobler  feelings  of  one’s  nature  to 
think  even  for  a moment  of  that  grand  host  who  in  all 
ages,  and  oftentimes  aimed  cruel  persecutions,  have 
battled  for  the  right ! 

At  the  mention  of  their  names  the  heart  leaps  as  at 
the  sound  of  majestic  music.  Webless  God  that  the 
world,  sin-smitten  as  it  is,  has  yet  been  trodden  by 
Enoch,  Moses,  Elijah,  Daniel,  and  all  the  glorious  band 
of  prophets,  apostles  and  martyrs ; and  that  even  in 
these  latter  days  noble  men  and  women  who  adhere 
to  truth,  justice  and  charity,  have  swelled  the  num- 
bers of  that  illustrious  host,  “ part  of  whom  have 
crossed  the  flood  and  part  are  crossing  now.” 

Hope  may  be  drenched,  but  it  cannot  be  drowned. 
The  world  is  filled  with  objects  of  interest  and  im- 
provement ; see  all  you  can  and  gain  knowledge  from 
every  thing  you  see.  Deep  convictions  setting  in  the 
right  direction  hold  the  soul  steady  in  its  course 
against  the  comparatively  lighter  influences  and  pas- 
sions which  fret  the  surface  of  life. 

Write  your  name  by  kindness,  love  and  mercy  on 
the  hearts  of  the  people  you  come  in  contact  with,  and 
you  will  never  be  forgotten.  If  you  would  rise  in  the 
world,  you  must  not  stop  to  kick  at  every  cur  that 
looks  at  you  as  you  pass  along.  A vapid  mind  con- 
tinually struggles,  the  feeble  one  limps,  but  a great 
mind  selects  the  surest  points,  and  upon  these  it  stands. 
There  is  a time  when  thou  mayest  say  nothing  and  a 


CONSTANCY. 


201 


time  when  thou  mayest  say  something ; but  there 
never  will  be  a time  when  thou  shouldest  say  all  things. 

Do  we,  who  have  been  surrounded  from  babyhood 
by  strong  religious  influences,  realize  how  hard  it  must 
be  to  stand  up  straight  and  honorable  without  such 
surroundings  ? 

In  a nursery,  a young  elm,  sheltered  by  its  fellows, 
finds  it  easy  to  grow  straight  up  to  the  blue  sky  above. 
But  take  it  and  plant  it  out  on  a prairie,  where  winds 
coming  forward  in  one  unbroken  sweep  for  miles  strike 
against  it, and  have  it  blow  with  more  force  from  one  par- 
ticular quarter  than  from  any  other,  and  how  is  it  then  ? 
Almost  impossible  for  it  not  to  be  bent  by  the  pressure 
of  circumstances.  But  a youth  has  an  advantage  over 
an  elm.  The  latter  has  no  cable  to  hold  it  firm,  the 
youth  has.  One  that  reaches  to  the  All  Powerful.  It 
vs,  possible,  with  this  aid,  for  the  youth  to  stand  against 
the  greatest  storm  of  adverse  winds  that  ever  blew. 
And  to  stand  firm.  The  words  that  are  infallible  have 
been  spoken!  “Lo  I am  with  you  always,  even  unto 
the  end.” 

“There  is  no  greater  mistake,”  said  Dr.  Bushnell, 
“than  to  suppose  that  Christians  can  impress  the  world 
by  agreeing  with  it.  No;  it  is  not  conformity  that  we 
want;  it  is  not  being  able  to  beat  the  world  in  its  own 
way ; but  it  is  to  stand  apart  and  above  it,  and  to  pro- 
duce the  impression  of  a holy  and  separate  life.  This 
only  can  give  us  a true  Christian  power.” 

Xenophon  relates  that  when  an  Armenian  prince 
had  been  taken  captive  with  his  princess  by  Cyrus,  and 
was  asked  what  he  would  give  to  be  restored  to  his 


202 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


kingdom,  he  replied,  “As  for  my  kingdom  and  liberty,  I 
value  them  not;  but  if  my  blood  would  redeem  my 
princess,  I would  cheerfully  give  it  for  her.”  When 
Cyrus  had  liberated  them  both,  the  princess  was  asked 
what  she  thought  of  Cyrus.  “ I did  not  see  him,”  she 
said ; “ I noticed  only  him  who  offered  to  die  for  me.” 

I may  faint  and  be  weary,  but  my  God  cannot.  I 
may  alter  and  fluctuate  as  to  my  frames,  but  my 
Redeemer  is  unchangeably  the  same.  I might  utterly 
fail  and  come  to  nothing  if  left  to  myself ; but  I cannot 
be  so  left  to  myself,  for  the  Spirit  of  truth  hath  said,  “I 
will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee.” 

Evil  thoughts  may  come  to  us,  but  we  are  not 
obliged  to  entertain  them.  Some  one  has  aptly  re- 
marked, “We  cannot  hinder  the  birds  flying  over  our 
heads,  but  we  can  prevent  their  making  nests  in  our 
hair.” 

Bearing  the  cross  for  Christ’s  sake  does  not  involve 
the  sacrifice  of  any  legitimate  joy,  but  we  must  resist 
the  fascinations  of  the  world,  and  we  are  promised 
grace  in  our  weaker  moments.  Trials  must  needs 
come  to  make  us  strong  and  to  prepare  us  for  our 
work.  Christ  was  made  perfect  through  suffering. 

God  has  so  arranged  it  that  nothing  is  really  ours. 
Anything  becomes  ours  when,  by  strength  of  will,  we 
force  it  out  of  the  world’s  unwilling-  arms.  Bear  with 
yourself,  but  do  not  flatter  yourself.  Work  effectually 
and  steadily  at  the  correction  of  your  faults,  yet  calmly 
and  without  the  impatience  of  self-love. 


POWER  OF  HABIT. 


203 


E?OWEI^  OP  PpABIJfl. 

Habit  is  a cable.  We  weave  the  thread  of  it 
every  day,  and  at  length  we  cannot  break  it.  The 
chains  of  habit  are  generally  too  small  to  be  felt,  until 
they  are  too  strong  to  be  broken.  To  one  who  mur- 
mured because  he  rebuked  him  for  a small  matter, 
Plato  replied:  “Custom  is  no  small  matter.  A custom 
or  habit  of  life  does  frequently  alter  the  natural  incli- 
nation for  good  or  evil.”  After  a series  of  years, 
winding  up  a watch  at  a certain  hour,  it  becomes  so 
much  of  a routine  as  to  be  done  in  utter  unconscious- 
ness; meanwhile  the  mind  and  body  are  engaged  in 
something  different. 

Habit  constantly  strengthens  all  our  active  exer- 
tions. Whatever  we  do  often,  we  become  more  and 
more  apt  to  do.  A snuff-taker  begins  with  a pinch  of 
snuff  per  day,  and  ends  with  a pound  or  two  every 
month.  Swearing  begins  in  anger ; it  ends  by  ming- 
ling itself  with  ordinary  conversation. 

Habits  of  speech,  when  formed  in  early  life,  are  the 
most  ineradicable  of  all  habits;  and  this  one,  I believe, 
is  absolutely  beyond  the  reach  of  any  discipline,  and 
even  of  prolonged  association  with  good  speakers.  In 
England  I observed  many  people  in  a constant 
struggle  with  their  h,  overcoming  and  being  over- 
come, and  sometimes  triumphing  when  victory  was 
defeat. 

Bad  habits  are  the  thistles  of  the  heart,  and  every 


204 


WELL-STRINGS  0L  TRUTH. 


indulgence  of  them  is  a seed  from  which  will  come 
forth  a new  crop  of  rank  weeds.  There  are  habits 
contracted  by  bad  example  or  bad  management,  before 
we  have  judgment  to  discern  their  approaches,  or 
because  the  eye  of  reason  is  laid  asleep,  or  has  not 
compass  of  view  sufficient  to  look  around  on  every 
quarter. 

It  was  a quaint  and  singularly  wise  remark,  by  a 
modern  essayist,  that  no  one’s  example  is  so  danger- 
ous to  us  as  our  own;  for  when  we  have  done  a cer- 
tain thing  once,  it  is  so  much  easier  to  do  it  again.  It 
is  the  first  step  which  counts,  in  evil  as  well  as  in 
good.  The  tendency  of  human  nature  to  form  habits, 
to  run  in  grooves,  is  one  of  its  most  marked  chafacter- 
istics.  Fortunately  for  us,  it  has  its  good  side  as  well 
as  its  bad  side.  If  we  can  only  too  easily  form  a 
habit  of  petulance,  of  ill-temper,  we  can  also,  by  try- 
ing, form  a habit  of  self-control ; and  each  fresh  vic- 
tory over  ourselves  is  easier  than  the  first. 

A habit  of  application  is,  it  would  be  safe  to  say,  of 
as  much  importance  to  almost  any  great  man  as  is  his 
genius.  Not  that  any  amount  of  application  can  make 
a dull  man  brilliant;  but  that  without  steady  applica- 
tion a brilliant  man  might  almost  as  well  be  dull,  as  far 
as  anything  that  he  is  likely  to  accomplish  is  concerned. 
“ Perseverance  is  genius,”  several  great  men  have 
said,  in  slightly  varying  phrase ; but  this  is  not  true. 
Perseverance  is  only  the  right  hand  of  genius.  Some- 
thing- is  breathed  into  a man  at  his  birth — a divine 
fire,  a gift  of  God — which  makes  great  things  possible 
to  him,  while  to  his  brother  in  the  next  cradle  they 


POWER  OF  HABIT. 


205 

would  be  impossible  forever.  But  Laving  received  this 
divine  fire,  he  must  give  it  fuel.  It  is  the  sign  that  he 
must  work  more,  and  not  less  than  his  fellows;  and  so 
there  is  no  one  thing  so  remarkable  in  the  history  of 
our  great  men  as  their  habits  of  prodigious  applica- 
tion. 

The  serpent  of  appetite  does  not  begin  to  hurt 
until  it  has  wound  itself  around  its  victim,  then  it 
tightens,  strangles,  and  crushes,  until  the  bones  crack, 
the  blood  flows,  eyes  start  from  sockets,  brain  reels 
and  tongue  leadens;  yet  with  all  these  examples  before 
him,  the  victim  goes  on,  till  too  late  to  stop  his  pas- 
sage over  the  dark,  fitful  river. 

The  New  York  “Herald”  says  that  four-fifths  of 
the  five  thousand  bodies  that  reach  the  Morgue  in 
that  city  every  year  are  sent  there  by  drunkenness.  It 
is  related  of  the  poet  Burns,  that,  after  he  became  a 
slave  to  his  great  enemy,  strong  drink,  he  once  said 
that  “ if  a barrel  of  rum  was  placed  in  one  corner  of 
the  room,  and  a loaded  cannon  in  another  pointing 
toward  him,  ready  to  be  fired  if  he  approached  the 
barrel,  he  had  no  choice  but  to  go  for  the  rum.”  If 
the  chain  which  binds  a man,  when  wound  about  him 
in  its  full  strength,  is  so  great,  what  shall  be  said  of 
those  who  thoughtlessly  forge  the  first  links  ? Are 
you  forging  any  ? 

Of  all  the  kings  of  the  earth,  there  is  not  one  who 
rules  so  many  people  as  King  Habit.  Almost  every 
man,  woman  and  child  obeys  him,  both  the  good  and 
the  bad,  the  wise  and  the  foolish.  It  is  strange  that 
each  person  creates  this  King  Habit  for  himself  first, 


206  well-springs  of  truth. 

and  then  bows  before  him.  And  this  is  the  way  in 
which  King  Habit  is  created.  A man  does  something 
or  other  one  day,  without  thinking  much  about  it;  for 
instance,  he  plays  with  his  watch-chain  while  he  is  talk- 
ing to  a friend ; a few  days  afterwards  he  meets 
another  friend,  and  as  he  talks  to  him,  again  his  fingers 
get. to  the  same  place,  while  he  is  thinking  of  some- 
thing to  say;  next  day  he  is  chatting  with  another 
friend,  and  again  he  twitches  and  twirls  his  chain,  and 
after  a little  while  he  can  hardly  get  a word  out  unless 
he  is  fidgeting  with  his  watch-chain.  He  has  by 
degrees  made  a King  Habit  for  himself,  which  he  may 
have  great  trouble  in  driving-  from  his  throne. 

o o 

There  was  once  a member  of  Parliament  who  had 
got  into  a habit  of  always  putting  his  hand  under  his 
coat,  and  pulling  at  the  strings  at  the  back  of  his  waist- 
coat while  he  was  speaking.  A rival  who  had  noticed 
this  trick,  one  day  when  the  other  was  going  to  make 
a great  speech,  managed  to  cut  the  strings  off.  It  is 
said  that  the  poor  man  got  up,  began  his  speech,  put 
his  hands  to  pull  the  waistcoat  strings,  found  they 
were  gone,  lost  the  thread  of  his  argument — began 
again,  coughed,  stammered,  stuck,  and  at  last  sat  down, 
covered  with  confusion.  King  Habit  was  too  strong 
for  him.  He  had  got  into  the  way  of  pulling  his 
waistcoat  strings  when  he  spoke,  and  without  them  he 
could  not  get  on.  This  was  only  a silly  habit,  but 
habits  that  are  good  and  habits  that  are  bad  are 
formed  in  the  same  way,  and  rule  over  us  in  like  man- 
ner; therefore  we  ought  to  take  care  what  kind  of 
kings  we  are  setting  upon  the  throne. 


POWER  OF  HABIT. 


207 


Nearly  all  the  disagreeable  habits  which  people 
take  up,  come  at  first  from  mere  accident,  or  want  of 
thought.  They  might  easily  be  dropped,  but  they  are 
persisted  in  until  they  become  second  nature.  Stop 
and  think  before  you  allow  yourself  to  form  them. 

The  Orientals  portray  the  growth  and  power  of  a 
bad  habit  by  the  following  fable : “ As  Abdallah  lin- 
gered over  his  morning  repast,  a little  fly  lighted  on  his 
goblet,  took  a sip  and  was  gone.  It  came  again  and 
again,  increased  its  charms,  became  bolder  and  bolder, 
grew  in  size  until  it  presented  the  likeness  of  a man. 
It  consumed  Abdallah’s  meat,  so  that  he  grew  thin  and 
weak,  while  his  guest  became  great  and  strong.  Then 
contention  arose  between  them,  and  the  youth  smote 
the  demon,  so  that  he  departed,  and  the  youth  rejoiced 
at  his  deliverance.  But  the  demon  soon  came  again, 
charmingly  arrayed,  and  was  restored  to  favor.  On 
the  morning  the  youth  came  not  to  his  teacher.  The 
mufti,  searching,  found  him  in  his  chamber,  lying  dead 
upon  his  divan.  His  visage  was  black  and  swollen, 
and  on  his  throat  was  the  pressure  of  a finger,  broader 
than  the  palm  of  a mighty  man.  His  treasures  were 
gone.  In  the  garden  the  mufti  discovered  the  foot- 
prints of  a giant,  one  of  which  measured  six  cubits.” 

Bentham  says,  “ Like  flakes  of  snow  that  fall  unper- 
ceived upon  the  earth,  the  seemingly  unimportant 
events  of  life  succeed  one  another.  As  the  snow 
gathers  together,  so  are  our  habits  formed.  No  single 
flake  that  is  added  to  the  pile  produces  a sensible 
change.  No  single  action  creates,  however  it  may 
exhibit,  a man’s  character ; but  as  the  tempest  hurls 


208 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  avalanche  down  the  mountain,  and  overwhelms  the 
inhabitant  and  his  habitation,  so  passion,  acting  upon 
the  elements  of  mischief,  which  pernicious  habits  have 
brought  together  by  imperceptible  accumulation,  may 
overthrow  the  edifice  of  truth  and  virtue. 

“ Habit,”  says  St.  Augustine,  “ if  not  resisted,  be- 
comes necessity.”  Dr.  Johnson  has  well  expressed  the 
same  truth,  “ The  diminutive  chains  of  habit  are  seldom 
heavy  enough  to  be  felt  till  they  are  too  strong  to  be 
broken.”  As  Archbishop  Whately  has  said,  “It  is 
important  to  keep  in  mind  that  habits  are  formed,  not 
at  one  stroke,  but  gradually  and  insensibly;  so  that, 
unless  vigilant  care  be  employed,  a great  change  may 
come  over  the  character  without  our  being  conscious 
of  any.” 

What  power  there  is  in  habit ! Are  not  all  men, 
for  the  most  part,  controlled  by  their  habits?  True,  a 
man  can  will  to  cross  the  current  of  his  habits,  but  it  is 
rarely  done.  And  when  one  does  summon  courage  to 
make  the  attempt,  it  is  then  very  like  crossing  a swollen 
stream  with  a frail  canoe — there  is  a mighty  drift,  and 
the  landing  is  not  straight  across  from  the  starting 
point,  but  far  below  it. 

It  is  the  habitual  thought  that  frames  itself  into  our 
life.  It  affects  us  even  more  than  our  intimate  social 
relations  do.  Our  confidential  friends  have  not  as 
much  to  do  in  shaping  our  lives  as  the  thoughts  have 
which  we  harbor. 

A very  profane  man  was  once  overtaken  in  a furi- 
ous storm.  The  forest  trees  were  falling  upon  every 
side,  and  in  alarm  he  looked  around  for  a place  of 


MAN  AND  CIRCUMSTANCES. 


209 


refuge.  Just  then  a giant  oak  fell  across  his  path,  and 
he  crept  beneath  its  protecting  roots,  where  he  lay 
trembling  with  fear  until  the  storm  abated. 

On  reaching  home  his  pious  neighbor  said  to  him:- 

“My  friend,  what  were  thy  thoughts  while  under 
the  tree  ?” 

“Well,”  he  replied,  “I  could  think  of  nothing  but  an 
oath,  but  I didn’t  dare  to  speak  it  for  fear  of  the  Al- 
mighty.” 

What  a fearful  state  in  which  to  face  death ! 

His  heart  full  of  the  blackness  of  profanity,  which  in 
this  hour  of  deadly  peril  rose  up  with  the  overpowering 
impulse  of  a life-long  habit. 

How  different  would  have  been  his  feelings  had  he 
always  taught  his  heart  and  lips  to  love  and  praise  the 
God  whom  he  so  greatly  feared  ! 


fflAN  AND  (sII^GUMSTANGES. 

If  you  cannot  find  a place  to  fit  you,  strive  to  fit  the  place  in  which  you 
find  yourself. 

Our  indiscretion  sometimes  serves  us  well, 

When  our  deep  plots  do  pall ; and  that  should  teach  us 
There’s  a divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 

Rough-hew  them  how  we  will. 

It  is  not  the  situation  which  makes  the  man,  but  the 
man  who  makes  the  situation.  A freeman  may  be  in 
chains.  A slave  may  sit  on  a throne.  He  who  fills 

the  situation  exalts  or  debases  it.  Martyrs  glorified 
14 


210 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  scaffold.  Christ  transformed  the  cross  from  a mb- 

o 

bet  into  the  most  glorious  symbol  of  the  ages. 

Never  complain  of  your  birth,  your  employment,  or 
your  hardships.  Never  murmur  and  think  that  it 
would  have  been  better  for  you  to  have  had  a different 
position  in  life.  God  understands  his  own  plan,  and 
he  knows  what  you  need  a great  deal  better  than  you 
do.  It  is  nothing  new  that  the  patient  should  dislike 
his  medicines,  or  any  proof  that  they  are  poisons. 
Bring  yourself  to  receive  God’s  will,  and  do  his  work 
in  your  lot  and  sphere,  under  your  cloud  of  obscurity, 
and  against  all  your  temptations. 

Let  us  learn  that  to  be  engaged  in  lowly  employ- 
ment is  no  hardship.  If  a great  king  should  put  his 
lowest  subject  to  doing  a task  he  had  set  before  his 
most  trusted  friend,  think  you  the  subject  could  com- 
plain of  harsh  treatment?  God  called  Moses  his 
friend,  and  honored  him  with  an  intimacy  he  has 
allowed  no  other  human  being,  talking  with  him  face 
to  face;  and  yet  this  very  Moses  was  set  to  tending 
sheep  for  forty  years.  Who  are  we,  that  we  should 
think  lowly  toil  a hardship,  and  murmur  against  it? 

Your  neighbor,  no  better  nor  abler  than  you,  is  left 
in  wealth  and  high  position,  while  you  are  set  to  lowly 
toil ; will  you  conclude  that  God  honors  him  and  dis- 
honors you?  Oh,  when  will  Christians  learn  to  look 
at  circumstances  no  longer  through  the  distorting 
medium  of  the  world’s  glasses,  but  through  the  clear 
lens  of  God’s  word  of  truth? 

To  deny  that  man  is,  in  a sense,  the  creature  of 
circumstances,  is  equal  to  the  denial  that  two  and  two 


MAN  AND  CIRCUMSTANCES. 


21  I 


make  four ; and  to  deny  that  man  cannot  make  cir- 
cumstances, is  equal  to  affirming  that  two  and  two 
make  five.  It  is  a painful  fact,  but  there  is  no  denying 
it,  the  mass  are  the  tools  of  circumstances;  thistledown 
on  the  breeze,  straw  on  the  river,  their  course  is 
shaped  for  them  by  the  currents  and  eddies  of  the 
stream  of  life ; but  only  in  proportion  as  they  are 
things,  not  men  and  women.  Man  was  meant  to  be 
not  the  slave,  but  the  master  of  circumstances  ; and 
in  proportion  as  he  recovers  his  humanity,  in  every 
sense  of  the  great  obsolete  word — in  proportion  as  he 
gets  back  the  spirit  of  manliness,  which  is  self-sacrifice, 
affection,  loyalty  to  an  idea  beyond  himself,  a God 
above  himself,  so  far  will  he  rise  above  circumstances 
and  wield  them  at  his  will. 

Place  a young  girl  under  the  care  of  a kind-hearted 
woman,  and  she,  unconsciously  herself,  grows  into  a 
graceful  lady.  Place  a boy  in  the  establishment  of 
thorough-going,  straightforward  business  men,  and 
the  boy  becomes  a self-reliant,  practical  business  man. 
Children  are  susceptible  creatures,  and  circumstances, 
scenes  and  actions  always  impress.  As  you  influence 
them,  not  by  arbitrary  rules,  not  by  stern  example 
alone,  but  a thousand  other  ways  that  speak  through 
beautiful  forms,  pictures,  etc.,  so  they  will  grow. 

Providence  throws  about  us  an  intricate  network 
of  circumstances,  influences  and  responsibilities  from 
which  we  cannot  honorably  escape,  and  before  we  are 
ready  to  begin  the  survey  of  life’s  pathway,  it  is 
already  marked  out  for  us;  ay,  and  footworn  in  some 
directions  we  never  meant  to  follow.  A light  supper, 


212 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


a good  night’s  sleep,  and  a fine  morning  have  often 
made  a hero  of  the  same  man  who,  by  indigestion,  a 
restless  night,  and  a rainy  morning  would  have  proved 
a coward. 

Spare  moments  are  the  gold-dust  of  time;  and 
Young  was  writing  a true  as  well  as  a striking  line, 
when  he  taught  that  “Sands  make  the  mountain,  and 
moments  make  the  year.”  Of  all,  the  portions  of  our 
life,  spare  moments  are  the  most  fruitful  in  good  or 
evil.  They  are  the  gaps  through  which  temptations 
find  the  easiest  access  to  the  garden  of  the  soul. 
Quick  is  the  succession  of  human  events.  The  cares 
of  to-day  are  seldom  the  cares  of  to-morrow,  and  when 
we  lie  down  at  night  we  may  safely  say  to  most  of  our 
troubles,  “Ye  have  done  your  worst,  and  we  shall  meet 
no  more.” 

Sometimes  men  leap  from  obscurity  to  fame  in  a 
day.  One  of  this  rare  sort  was  Leon  Gambetta.  On 
a certain  day  in  1868  Jules  Favre,  the  renowned  advo- 
cate, statesman  and  academician,  had  a great  cause  to 
plead;  a cause,  however,  more  political  than  legal. 
But  that  day  he  was  ill ; some  one  must  take  his 
place;  and  at  a somewhat  rash  venture,  he  chose  as 
his  substitute  an  almost  absolutely  unknown,  out-at- 
elbows,  loud-talking  Bohemian  cafe-orsXox.  M.  Favre 
knew  Gambetta  but  little;  and  mainly  knew  him  as  an 
ardent  and  out-spoken  Republican.  The  mere  issue 
of  the  trial,  which  was  that  of  certain  editors  for  open- 
ing their  columns  to  the  Baudin  subscription,  was 
nothing.  At  a time  when,  under  the  Empire,  free 
speech  was  forbidden  the  Republicans  on  the  platform, 


MAN  AND  CIRCUMSTANCES. 


213 


such  trials  were  seized  upon  by  Republican  orators  as 
the  occasions  of  fierce  attacks  upon  the  Napoleonic 
regime.  What  was  needed,  then,  was  a bold,  eloquent, 
red-hot  Republican,  who  would  stand  up  and  lash  the 
Empire  without  mercy  before  a bench  of  Imperial 
judges.  Gambetta  electrified  all  France  by  his  speech. 
It  was  a tremendous  indictment  against  Napoleonism. 
Never  did  an  orator  produce  more  immediate  or 
more  overwhelming  effect.  The  broad  road  of  politi- 
cal fortune  lay  open  before  him. 

Under  the  murky  threats  of  the  years  ahead  of  us, 
it  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor,  the  pulpit,  the  press,  poli- 
tics, and  the  police — the  five  giant  powers  of  these 
modern  ages — to  join  arms  and  go  forward  in  one 
phalanx  for  the  execution  of  all  those  just  public  enact- 
ments which  shut  places  of  temptation,  and  leave  a 
man  a good  chance  to  be  born  right  the  second  time, 
by  being  born  right  the  first  time. 

Few  people,  I imagine,  realize  the  extreme  dullness 
of  the  life  of  the  poor.  Cut  off  from  the  many  inter- 
ests which  education  or  the  possession  of  money  gives, 
they  have  little  left  but  the  “ trivial  round,  the  common 
task,”  which  indeed  furnishes  them  with  “room  to  deny 
themselves,”  but  it  is  hardly,  in  their  case  at  least,  “the 
road  to  bring  them  daily  nearer  to  God.”  This  is 
especially  true  with  regard  to  those  men  who  cannot 
read.  Unable  to  comprehend  the  ever-living  interest 
of  watching  public  affairs,  prevented  by  ignorance, 
from  following  even  in  outline  the  action  of  nations, 
they  are  thrown  back  on  the  affairs  of  their  neighbors, 
and  center  all  their  interest  in  the  sayings  and 


214 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


doings  of  quarrelsome  Mr.  Jones  or  much-abused 
Mrs.  Smith. 

It  is  difficult  for  those  of  us  to  whom  the  world 
seems  almost  too  full  of  interest  to  realize  the  deaden- 
ing dullness  of  some  of  these  lives.  Let  us  imagine 
for  an  instant  all  knowledge  of  history,  geography,  art, 
science  and  language  blotted  out;  all  interests  in  poli- 
tics, social  movements,  discoveries,  obliterated;  no 
society  pleasures  to  anticipate;  no  trials  of  skill  nor 
tests  of  proficiency  in  work  or  play  to  look  forward  to; 
no  money  at  command  to  enable  us  to  plan  some 
pleasure  for  a friend  or  dependant;  no  books  always 
at  hand  (the  old  friend  waiting  silently  till  their 
acquaintance  is  renewed,  and  the  new  ones  standing 
ready  to  be  learned  and  loved);  no  opportunities  of 
getting  change  of  scene  and  idea;  no  memories  laden 
with  pleasures  of  travel;  no  objects  of  real  beauty  to 
look  at.  What  would  our  lives  become? 

And  yet  this  is  a true  picture  of  the  minds  of 
thousands  of  the  poorer  classes  whose  time  is  passed 
in  hard,  monotonous  work,  or  occupied  in  the  petty  cares 
of  many  children,  and  in  satisfying  the  sordid  wants  of 
the  body.  In  some  cases  precarious  labor  adds  the 
element  of  uncertainty  to  the  other  troubles,  an 
element  which,  by  the  fact  of  its  bringing  some  interest, 
is  enjoyed  by  the  men,  but  adds  tenfold  to  the  many 
cares  of  the  house-wife. 

You  are  a manufacturer,  or  a merchant,  or  a 
mechanic,  or  a man  of  leisure,  or  a student,  or  a sew- 
ing-woman. God  wants  each  one  of  you  to  serve  him 
where  you  are.  You  have  your  business,  use  it  for 


•\N  OUNCE  OF  PREVENTION. 


215 


God.  Order  it  in  a godly  manner.  Do  not  allow  any 
wickedness  in  it.  Give  godly  wages  ; preach  Jesus 
to  your  clerks,  not  by  a long  face,  but  by  being  like 
him,  doing  good.  Use  your  profits  for  God,  feeding 
the  hungry,  clothing  the  naked,  visiting  the  sick,  com- 
forting the  wretched,  spreading  the  gospel  far  and 
wide.  What  a field  you  have  to  glorify  God  in,  just 
where  you  are  ! If  you  have  nothing,  use  your  tools 
for  him;  he  can  glorify  himself  with  them  as  easily  as 
he  could  with  a sheperd’s  stick,  an  ox-goad,  a sling,  or 
two  mites.  A poor  girl  who  had  nothing  but  a sew- 
ing-machine used  it  to  aid  a feeble  church ; all  her 
earnings  above  her  needs  were  given  towards  build- 
ing a house  of  worship,  and  in  a year  she  paid  more 
than  others  a hundred  times  richer  than  she.  So  you 
can  do  if  you  will.  Think  of  the  widow  with  her  two 
mites,  the  woman  with  the  alabaster  box,  and  Dorcas 
and  her  garments  ; you  can  do  as  much,  and  have  as 
great  a reward. 

flN  Gunge  op  E^eyention. 

“ He  who  is  false  to  present  duty  breaks  a thread  in  the  loom,  and  will  see 
the  defect  when  the  weaving  of  a lifetime  is  unrolled.” 

An  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a pound  of  cure, 
says  the  old  proverb.  It  is  human  nature  to  shirk 
and  postpone,  but  true  wisdom  teaches  a man  to  look 
before  he  leaps.  Better  try  to  find  out  what  the  end 
will  be  before  you  begin  a doubtful  undertaking. 
Look  at  the  consequences  of  a sin  before  you  decide 


21  6 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

to  yield  to  temptation  and  present  gratification.  Many 
a lifedong  struggle  and  final  despair  would  have  been 
saved  if  an  ounce  of  prevention,  forethought,  had 
been  used,  and  common  experience  accepted  in  time. 

Many  people  think  that  the  old  adage,  “Prevention 
is  better  than  cure,”  applies  to  everything  except  in- 
temperance, but  that  with  drink,  our  philosophy  is  to 
wait  until  we  discover  we  are  fond  of  it,  and  then,  and 
not  till  then,  to  relinquish  it.  Foster  a bad  habit  till 
we  become  its  slaves,  and  then  break  the  shackles.  Is 
it  not  better  never  to  let  the  shackles  get  on? 

There  are  no  troubles  that  wear  upon  the  temper 
and  sap  the  foundations  of  all  peace  and  comfort  as 
do  borrowed  troubles;  because  there  is  no  provision 
made  in  the  divine  economy  for  help  to  bear  them. 
We  have  no  promise  that  strength  will  be  given  to  sus- 
tain us  under  the  weight  of  imaginary  bqrdens.  Real 
trials,  bravely  and  patiently  borne,  are  moral  tonics, 
strengthening  and  purifying  in  their  influence,  lifting 
the  soul  to  higher  levels  and  broader  outlooks.  But  it 
is  only  by  receiving  them  as  they  come,  one  at  a time, 
and  taking  no  thought  for  those  of  the  morrow,  that 
they  will  yield  us  the  full  measure  of  good  with  which 
they  are  fraught. 

An  ounce  of  keep-your-mouth-shut  is  better  than  a 
pound  of  explanation  after  you  have  said  it.  An 
elderly  farmer  had  a squeaky  door  in  his  house.  It 
annoyed  him.  He  tightened  the  screws  in  the  hinges 
without  avail.  He  planed  off  the  threshold  without 
making  it  any  better.  He  told  his  neighbor  about  it, 
whose  doors  never  squeaked,  and  asked  his  advice. 


AN  OUNCE  OF  PREVENTION. 


217 


“He  it ,”  said  his  neighbor.  He  did,  and  the  door 
stopped  squeaking.  There  are  some  people  who  pass 
through  this  life  like  a squeaky  door.  The  hinges  of 
life  need  “ileing.”  Christianity  will  do  it.  There  are 
infinite  resources  in  the  grace  of  God. 

The  system  that  prevention  is  better  than  cure  is 
infallible  with  little  children — no  one  doubts  that.  Any 
parents  who  for  want  of  rational  precaution  allowed 
their  children  to  fall  into  the  fire  or  the  water,  or  to  do 
one  another  some  serious  bodily  harm,  would  be  stig- 
matized as  either  wicked  or  insane.  Yet,  when  the 
young  people  are  growing  up — and  just  at  the  most 
critical  point  of  their  lives — how  often  do  these  par- 
ents shut  the  stable-door  after  the  steed  is  stolen? 

“Sir,”  said  a shrewd  old  gentleman,  when  ques- 
tioned as  to  the  character  of  one  of  his  guests — “Sir, 
do  you  think  I would  ever  let  a young  man  inside  my 
doors  who  was  not  fit  to  marry  my  daughter?” 

If  it  be  true,  as  a consummate  judge  of  human 
nature  has  observed, 

“ That  not  a vanity  is  given  in  vain,” 

it  is  also  true  that  there  is  scarcely  a single  passion 
that  may  not  be  turned  to  some  good  account  if  pru- 
dently rectified  and  skilfully  turned  into  the  road  of 
some  neighboring  virtue.  It  cannot  be  violently  bent,, 
or  unnaturally  forced  towards  an  object  of  a totally 
opposite  nature,  but  may  be  gradually  inclined  towards 
a correspondent  but  superior  affection.  Anger,  ha- 
tred, resentment  and  ambition,  the  most  restless  and 
turbulent  passions  which  shake  and  distract  a human 
soul,  may  be  led  to  become  the  most  active  opposers  of 


218 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


sin,  after  having  been  its  most  successful  instruments. 
Our  anger,  for  instance,  which  can  never  be  totally 
subdued,  may  be  made  to  turn  against  ourselves,  for 
our  weak  and  imperfect  obedience;  our  hatred,  against 
every  species  of  vice  ; our  ambition,  which  will  not  be 
discarded,  may  be  ennobled — it  Will  not  change  its 
name,  but  its  object, — it  will  despise  what  it  lately  val- 
ued, nor  be  contented  to  grasp  at  less  than  immor- 
tality. 

Thus  the  joys,  fears,  hopes,  desires,  all  the  passions 
and  affections  which  separate  in  various  currents  from 
die  soul,  will,  if  directed  into  their  proper  channels, 
after  having  fertilized  wherever  they  have  flowed, 
return  again  to  swell  and  enrich  the  parent  source. 

That  the  very  passions  which  appear  the  most 
uncontrollable  and  unpromising  may  be  intended,  in 
the  great  scheme  of  Providence,  to  answer  some  im- 
portant purpose,  is  remarkably  evidenced  in  the  char- 
acter and  history  of  the  apostle  Paul.  A remark  on 
this  subject  by  an  ingenious  old  Spanish  writer,  which 
I will  here  take  the  liberty  to  translate,  will  better  illus- 
trate my  meaning: 

“ To  convert  the  bitterest  enemy  into  the  most 
zealous  advocate  is  the  work  of  God  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  man.  Plutarch  has  observed  that  the  medical 
science  would  be  brought  to  the  utmost  perfection, 
when  poison  should  be  converted  into  physic.  Thus 
in  the  moral  disease  of  Judaism  and  idolatry,  our 
blessed  Lord  converted  the  adder’s  venom  of  Saul  the 
persecutor  into  that  cement  which  made  Paul  the 
chosen  vessel.  That  manly  activity,  that  restless 


AN  OUNCE  OF  PREVENTION. 


219 


ardour,  that  burning  zeal  for  the  law  of  his  fathers, 
that  ardent  thirst  for  the  blood  of  Christians,  did  the 
Son  of  God  find  necessary  in  the  man  who  was  one 
day  to  become  the  defender  of  his  suffering  people.” 

To  win  the  passions,  therefore,  over  to  the  cause  of 
virtue  answers  a much  nobler  end  than  their  extinction 
would  possibly  do,  even  if  that  could  be  effected.  But 
it  is  their  nature  never  to  observe  a neutrality ; they 
are  either  rebels  or  auxiliaries  ; and  an  enemy  subdued 
is  an  ally  obtained.  If  I may  be  allowed  to  change  the 
allusion  so  soon,  I would  say  that  the  passions  also 
resemble  fires,  which  are  friendly  and  beneficial  when 
under  proper  direction,  but  if  suffered  to  blaze  without 
restraint,  they  carry  devastation  along  with  them,  and 
if  totally  extinguished,  leave  the  benighted  mind  in  a 
state  of  cold  and  comfortless  inanity. 

But,  in  speaking  of  the  usefulness  of  the  passions 
as  instruments  of  virtue,  envy  and  lying  must  always 
be  excepted.  These,  I am  persuaded,  must  either  go 
on  in  still  progressive  mischief,  or  else  be  radically 
cured,  before  any  good  can  be  expected  from  the  heart 
which  has  been  infected  with  them  ; for  I never  will 
believe  that  envy,  though  passed  through  all  the  moral 
strainers,  can  be  refined  into  a virtuous  emulation,  or 
lying  improved  into  an  agreeable  term  for  innocent 
invention.  Almost  all  the  other  passions  may  be  made 
to  take  an  amiable  hue;  but  these  two  must  either  be 
totally  extirpated,  or  be  always  contented  to  preserve 
their  original  deformity,  and  to  wear  their  native  black. 


220 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


I?E  INSISTENCY. 

“ He  who  works  and  waits,  wins.”  Is  there  any- 
where a truth  settled  on  a broader  foundation  of  fact ; 
stretching  out  into  a wider  area  of  experience ; or 
rising  up  into  a higher  and  more  radiant  atmosphere 
of  calm  and  certain  hope,  than  this? 

We  say,  stick  to  your  work.  Perseverance  will 
conquer — always  has  conquered.  And  don’t  get  out 
of  heart  if  you  fail  at  first.  Most  people  have  failed 
twice  where  they  have  succeeded  once.  Those  who 
ever  do  anything  worthy  fail  first.  In  fact,  we  can’t 
learn  to  do  some  things  till  we  fail.  You  are  not  the 
first  man  that  has  failed  ; you  will  not  be  the  last. 
Remember  your  old  copy — “Rome  was  not  built  in  a 
day.”  And  that  is  not  all ; Rome  was  never  built 
ario-ht  until  it  was  burned  down  several  times.  Fail 

o 

and  learn  why.  The  lesson  will  redeem  the  failure. 
This  leads  to  success. 

There  was  no  feature  more  remarkable  in  the  char- 
acter of  Timour  than  his  extraordinary  perseverance. 
No  difficulties  ever  led  him  to  recede  from  what  he  had 
once  undertaken ; and  he  often  persisted  in  his  efforts 
under  circumstances  which  led  all  around  him  to 
despair.  On  such  occasions,  he  used  to  relate  to  his 
friends  an  anecdote  of  his  early  life.  “ I once,”  he  said, 
“was  forced  to  take  shelter  from  my  enemies  in  a 
ruined  building,  where  I sat  alone  for  many  hours. 
Desiring  to  divert  my  mind  from  my  hopeless  condi- 


PERSISTENCY. 


221 


tion,  I fixed  my  eyes  on  an  ant,  that  was  carrying  a 
grain  of  corn,  larger  than  itself,  up  a high  wall.  I 
numbered  the  efforts  it  made  to  accomplish  this  object. 
The  grain  fell  sixty-nine  times  to  the  ground;  but  the 
insect  persevered,  and  the  seventieth  time  it  reached  the 
spot.  This  sight  gave  me  courage  at  the  moment,  and 
I never  forgot  the  lesson,” 

For  the  best  results  there  needs  be  the  longest  wait- 
ing. The  true  harvest  is  the  longest  in  being  reached. 
The  failures  come  first,  the  successes  last.  The  unsatis- 
factory is  generally  soonest  seen.  Everything  that  is 
good  has  to  fight  for  existence  and  continuance  in  this 
world;  and  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which  is  supremely 
good,  has  the  hardest  fight  to  wage. 

A man  needs  pluck  as  well  as  piety.  And  pluck 
will  sometimes  accomplish  what  piety  will  not.  But 
pluck  and  piety,  grit  and.grace,  always  go  well  together. 
“A  pound  of  pluck  is  worth  a ton  of  luck.”  Men  who 
sit  down  upon  the  stool  of  do-nothing,  waiting  for 
something  good  to  turn  up  are  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment. But  those  who  have  the  pluck  to  take  hold  of 
the  best  thing  at  hand  and  work  with  a will,  are  on 
the  high  road  to  success.  Young  men,  try  it. 

I would  bid  you  stand  up  to  your  work,  whatever 
it  may  be,  and  not  be  afraid  of  it ; not  in  sorrow  or 
contradiction  to  yield,  but  pushing  on  towards  the  goal. 
And  don’t  suppose  that  people  are  hostile  to  you  in 
the  world.  You  will  rarely  find  anybody  designedly 
doing  you  ill.  You  may  often  feel  as  if  the  world  is 
obstructing  you,  more  or  less ; but  you  will  find  that 
to  be  because  the  world  is  traveling  in  a different  way 


22  2 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

from  you,  and  rushing  on  its  own  path.  Each  man 
has  only  an  extremely  good  will  to  himself — and  is 
moving  on  towards  his  object. 

It  is  said  that  an  ant  holds  on  longer  and  tighter  to 
his  burdens  than  any  other  living  creature.  When 
this  little  insect  undertakes  to  do  anything,  he  never 
gives  up  until  dead.  I have  been  thinking,  little 
friends,  what  a good  thing  it  would  be  if  all  boys  and 
girls  were  like  the  hard-working,  busy  ants.  Not  in 
looks,  I don’t  mean,  but  in  actions.  If  when  they  have 
a hard  lesson  they  would  sit  down  to  learn  it  with  as 
much  determination  as  a weak  little  ant  goes  to  work 
to  carry  home  a load  q.s  large  as  himself,  how  surely 
would  the  lesson  be  learned.  The  ant  does  not  sit 
sighing  and  fretting  because  it  is  so  heavy,  but  he 
takes  fast  hold  and  drags  it  if  he  cannot  carry  it,  or  he 
gets  another  ant  to  help  him,  and  they  both  work  just 
as  fast  and  as  hard  as  they  can  until  it  is  done.  What 
good  lessons  you  would  all  have  if  you  did  the  same 
way.  Are  you  not  as  wise  and  smart  as  a little 
common  black  ant? 

There  is  a tree  in  Jamaica  called  the  life  tree, 
whose  leaves  grow  even  when  severed  from  the  plant. 
It  is  impossible  to  kill  it,  save  by  fire. 

Says  Mr.  Moody:  “In  St  Louis  I went  into  a 

place  to  see  a man  on  business.  One  of  these  com- 
mercial travelers  came  in.  He  wanted  to  sell  some 
jewelry.  ‘Get  out,’  said  the  proprietor,  ‘I  don’t  want  to 
see  your  samples.’  ‘But  you  must,’  said  the  man;  ‘I 
won’t  get  out.’  ‘Get  out,’  said  he  again.  ‘I  won’t,’  said 
the  man,  and  he  began  to  unpack.  The  man  became 


PERSISTENCY. 


223 


interested,  and  so  did  I.  He  showed  him  a fine  lot  of 
goods,  diamonds,  pearls  and  precious  stones  set  in 
gold,  and  he  sold  the  man  seven  hundred  dollars’ 
worth. 

“‘Well,’  I thought,  ‘that  fellow  is  smart.’  When  he 
had  sold  his  little  bill  he  said  to  the  merchant:  ‘Now 
I have  one  more  thing  to  show  you  ; the  best  thing 
I’ve  got,’  and  he  began  to  go  down  deeper  into  his  cases, 
and  I began  to  wonder  what  could  he  mean.  Better  than 
gold,  diamonds,  and  pearls  ! and  I got  up  closer,  and 
the  merchant  did  too.  The  drummer  took  out  a little 
case  and  opened  it,  and  there  was  a Bagster  bible,  and 
he  began  to  turn  it  over,  and  said:  ‘This  is  the  pearl  of 
great  price;  this  is  better  than  all  earthly  possessions; 
it  is  God’s  Word.  Sir,  are  you  a Christian?’  I never 
heard  anything  like  that.” 

The  force  of  will  is  a potent  element  in  determin- 
ing longevity.  This  single  point  must  be  granted 
without  argument,  that  of  two  men,  every  way  alike 
and  similarly  circumstanced,  the  one  who  has  the 
greater  courage  and  grit  will  be  the  longer  lived.  One 
does  not  need  to  practice  medicine  long  to  learn  that 
men  die  who  might  just  as  well  live  if  they  resolved  to 
live,  and  that  myriads  who  are  invalids  could  become 
healthy  if  they  had  the  native  or  acquired  will  to  vow 
they  would  be  so.  Those  who  have  no  other  quality 
favorable  to  life,  whose  bodily  organs  are  nearly  all 
diseased,  to  whom  each  day  is  a day  of  pain,  who  are 
beset  by  life-shortening  influences,  yet  do  live  by  will 
alone. 

Socrates  at  an  extreme  old  age  learned  to  play  on 


224  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

musical  instruments.  Cato  at  eighty  years  of  age  be- 
gan to  study  the  Greek  language.  Plutarch,  when 
between  seventy  and  eighty,  commenced  the  study  ot 
Latin.  Bocaccio  was  thirty  years  of  age  when  he 
commenced  his  study  in  light  literature;  yet  he 
became  one  of  the  greatest  masters  of  the  Tuscan 
dialect,  Dante  and  Plutarch  being  the  other  two.  Sir 
Henry  Spellman  neglected  the  sciences  in  his  youth, 
but  commenced  the  study  of  them  when  he  was 
between  fifty  and  sixty. years  of  age.  After  this  time 
he  became  a most  learned  antiquarian  and  lawyer. 
Dr.  Johnson  applied  himself  to  the  Dutch  language  but 
a few  years  before  his  death.  Ludovocio  Mondal- 
ciesco,  at  the  great  age  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
years,  wrote  the  memoirs  of  his  own  times.  Ogilby, 
the  translator  of  Homer  and  Virgil,  was  unacquainted 
with  Latin  and  Greek,  till  he  was  past  fifty.  Franklin 
did  not  commence  his  philosophical  researches  till  he 
had  reached  his  fiftieth  year.  Dryden,  in  his  sixty- 
eighth  year,  commenced  the  translation  of  the  y£neid, 
his  most  pleasing  production.  Thousands  of  ex- 
amples of  men  who  commenced  a new  study  either 
for  a livelihood  or  amusement  at  an  advanced  age 
could  be  cited.  But  every  one  familiar  with  the  biog- 
raphy of  distinguished  men  will  recollect  individual 
cases  enough  to  convince  him  that  none  but  the  sick 
and  indolent  can  say,  “ I am  too  old  to  learn.” 

He  who  keeps  himself  strained  up  to  his  highest 
running  speed  all  the  time  does  not  make  the  best 
progress  on  a long  journey.  There  is  much  differ- 
ence between  a spurt  and  a four-mile  course.  And 


DECISION. 


225 


when  you  come  to  make  a long  journey  “ Dobbin  ” and 
his  “jog-trot”  will  beat  “Eclipse”  or  any  other  racer 
at  his  best.  Do  not  mistake  morbid  nervousness  for 
persistency.  The  difference  between  perseverance 
and  obstinacy,  is  that  one  oftener  comes  of  a strong 
will l and  the  other  of  a strong  won't. 

Never  be  cast  down  by  trifles.  If  a spider  breaks 
his  thread  twenty  times,  twenty  times  will  he  mend  it 
again.  Make  up  your  mind  to  do  a thing  and  you  will 
do  it.  Fear  not  if  trouble  comes  upon  you ; keep  up 
your  spirits,  though  the  day  be  a dark  one: 


Decision  of  character  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant of  human  qualities,  philosophically  considered. 
Speculation,  knowledge,  is  not  the  chief  end  of  man  ; 
it  is  action.  “ Give  us  the  man,”  shout  the  multitude, 
“who  will  step  forward  and  take  the  responsibility.” 
He  is  instantly  the  idol,  the  lord  and  the  king  among 
men.  He,  then,  who  would  command  among  his  fel- 
lows must  excel  them  more  in  energy  of  will  than  in 
power  of  intellect. 

In  Nebuchadnezzar’s  image,  the  lower  the  mem- 
bers, the  coarser  the  metal : the  farther  off  the  time,  the 
more  unfit.  To-day  is  the  golden  opportunity,  to- 
morrow will  be  the  silver  season,  next  day  but  the 


“Troubles  never  stop  forever, 

The  darkest  day  will  pass  away. 


Decision 


15 


226 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


brazen  one,  and  so  on,  till  at  last  I shall  come  to  the 
toes  of  clay,  and  be  turned  to  dust. 

No  man  ever  served  God  by  doing  things  to-mor- 
row; if  we  honor  Christ  and  are  blest,  it  is  by  the 
things  we  do  to-day.  Whatever  you  do  for  Christ 
throw  your  whole  soul  into  it.  Everybody’s  work 
is  nobody’s  work.  Begin  now  to  carry  out  the  good 
resolutions  you  intended  putting  into  operation  last 
year. 

There  is  always  a joy  in  duties  performed  ; and 
promptness  in  the  execution  heightens  that  joy.  To 
wait  and  look  on  a business  we  ought  to  do  at  once, 
enervates  and  disheartens  ; to  arise  and  do  it  imme- 
diately, strengthens  and  enlarges  the  heart.  Delay 
begets  hesitancy  and  timidity ; direct  performance 
brings  zeal  and  courage.  They  that  wait  upon  the 
Lord  renew  their  strength,  but  they  that  postpone 
present  duties  till  to-morrow,  are  weaker  for  them 
than  to-day.  Promptness  in  duties,  then,  gives  greater 
strength  for  new  duties.  Enduring  hardness  as  a 
good  soldier  in  one  campaign  qualifies  the  Christian 
for  more  manly  feats  in  the  next.  Christian  prompti- 
tude helps  to  develop  that  noble,  full  stature  of  char- 
acter and  life  which  the  gospel  enjoins — gives  grace  to 
discipleship,  and  energy  and  efficiency  to  the  churches. 

Earnestness  commands  the  respect  of  mankind. 
Decision  of  character  is  a virtue  to  be  sought  after 
with  ever  increasing  diligence.  A wavering,  vacillating, 
dead-and-alive  Christian  does  not  get  the  respect  of 
the  church  or  the  world.  This  yielding  spirit,  this 
“ doing  as  the  rest  did,”  has  ruined  thousands.  A 


DECISION. 


227 


young  man  is  invited  by  vicious  companions  to  visit 
the  public-house,  the  theatre,  the  gambling-room,  or 
other  haunts  of  licentiousness.  He  becomes  dissi- 
pated, spends  his  time,  loses  his  credit,  squanders  his 
property,  and  at  last  sinks  into  an  untimely  grave. 
What  ruined  him  ? Simply  “doing  what  the  rest  did.” 
The  sweetest  child  that  ever  looked  up  from  a fond 
mother’s  arms,  if  left  to  itself,  if  unrestrained  by 
parental  authority — unrenewed  and  unblessed  by  the 
grace  of  God — may  become  as  reprobate  as  Hophni 
and  Phinehas.  May  the  curse  that  fell  on  Eli’s  house 
be  far  from  each  one  of  us  forever. 

Opportunity,  like  the  Sibyl,  diminishes  her  offering, 
and  increases  her  price,  at  each  visit.  Speed  is  the 
helmet  of  Pluto,  says  an  old  writer.  It  is  important  to 
keep  in  mind  that  in  some  cases,  where,  as  Bacon  ex- 
presses it,  “not  to  decide  is  to  decide,”  a delay  may 
amount  to  a wrong  decision ; and  in  other  cases  may 
at  least  produce  serious  evil.  There  was  once  a very 
learned  and  acute  lord  chancellor,  none  of  whose  deci- 
sions were  ever  reversed,  but  who  very  often  decided, 
virtually,  against  both  parties,  by  delaying  his  decision 
until  both  were  beggared  by  law  expenses,  and  broken 
down  in  mind  and  body  by  anxious  care. 

The  effect  of  mind  upon  body  is,  as  to  experiment, 
a matter  within  the  reach  of  every  one.  It  does  not 
demand  costly  apparatus  or  expensive  chemicals.  So 
that  more  or  less  metaphysical  knowledge  is  within  the 
reach  of  all. 

It  is  here  suggested  that  the  habit  of  indecision  is 
injurious  to  body  as  well  as  to  mind.  And  also  that 


228 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  habit  of  decision  strengthens  body  as  well  as  mind. 
An  undecided  person  is,  so  long  as  he  is  in  the  un- 
decided state,  in  a worry  and  fret  of  mind.  Mentally 
he  is  on  a see-saw,  now  half  descending  on  this  hand, 
now  half  on  that,  until,  wearied  and  disgusted,  he 
sickens  of  the  matter  altogether. 

An  hour  of  such  mental  agitation  wearies  the  body. 
Something  has  been  used  up.  It  is  an  invisible  some- 
thing, but  it  is  none  the  less  potent  for  steadying  nerve 
and  strengthening  muscle.  Let  us  remember  that  the 
strongest  known  elements  in  nature — electricity,  caloric 
and  all  explosive  gaseous  forces — are  invisible.  In- 
deed, visibility  constitutes  but  a small  part  in  the  sum 
of  what  is. 

Without  some  object  or  purpose  on  which  to  con- 
centrate this  mental  as  well  as  physical  force  the  body 
soon  tires.  Why  is  mere  waiting  so  wearisome  ? So 
well  as  it  can  be  expressed  in  words,  mind  force,  while 
demanding  something  to  concentrate  its  power  on,  is 
at  the  same  time  losing  such  force  uselessly.  But  sup- 
pose in  such  weary  waiting  an  interesting  companion 
appears,  and  the  effort  of  conversation  and  interchange 
of  thought  concentrates  this  mind  power  in  a single 
channel  on  one  given  point.  The  result  is  both  mind 
and  body  are  rested  through  the  very  exercise  of  this 
force. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  mortality  among  the 
London  policemen  is  greater  than  among  laboring 
men,  and  one  reason  given  for  this  is  that  their  walk- 
ing their  beats  is  an  employment  almost  objectless  and 
purposeless  in  its  nature,  and  like  waiting  is  one  which 


DECISION. 


229 


wastes  its  mental  force,  and  with  mental  its  physical 
force. 

It  may  be  better  then  in  perplexing  circumstances 
to  make  up  one’s  mind  to  decide  and  “go  it  blind” 
rather  than  not  make  it  up  at  all.  Or,  perhaps,  it  may 
be  better,  if  there  be  time,  to  summon  up  sufficient 
will  power  so  as  to  drive  the  subject  for  a time  out  of 
one’s  head  and  wait  for  circumstances  and  a clearer 
brain  to  decide. 

This  point  involves  also  the  necessity  of  doing  but 
one  thing  at  a time.  Or,  in  other  words,  of  concen- 
trating all  will  and  strength  for  the  time  being  on  the 
single  purpose.  Indecision  involves  the  attempted 
doing  of  too  many  things  at  once.  Hesitation  half  ties 
its  shoestring  and  thinks  of  something  else.  Hesita- 
tion speaks  but  half  its  mind  and  stammers  in  doubt 
whether  to  speak  out  the  other  half.  Hesitation  is 
slovenliness.  Chronic  hesitation  seems  to  imply  weak 
or  unexercised  will,  weak  mind  and  weak  body.  The 
firm  grasp  on  the  assailant’s  collar  is  as  much  a men- 
tal as  a physical  act.  The  holding  oneself  in  the  face 
of  danger  when  all  the  danger  is  known  and  the  head 
is  cool,  is  entirely  a mental  act  and  a decided  act.  It 
is  suggested,  then,  that  the  cultivation  of  decision  is  a 
means  of  developing  not  only  mental  force  but  physi- 
cal health. 

Let  it  here  be  understood  that  these  are  but  partial 
statements.  Let  it  be  understood  that  this  is  a subject 
which  can  only  be  discussed  in  part.  By  decision  is 
not  meant  pig-headed  obstinacy,  which  keeps  on  a cer- 
tain course  right  or  wrong.  This  is  not  firmness  at  all. 


230 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


It  is  the  weakness  of  anger,  spite  and  stupidity.  A 
truly  decided  man  may  not  be  a consistent  man,  as 
many  understand  consistency.  He  may  alter  his  mind 
and  change  his  course  from  time  to  time  as  with  new- 
light  and  new  knowledge  he  gains  new  convictions. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  suggested  that  there 
are  thousands  who  never  really  make  up  their  minds 
at  all.  Circumstances  or  others  decide  for  them. 
They  do  at  the  last  moment  the  only  thing  left  for 
them  to  do.  If  on  a burning  ship,  it  is  doubtful  if  they 
possessed  the  will  and  energy  to  construct  a life  raft, 
but  when  finally  driven  to  bay  by  the  flames  they 
would  jump  overboard.  Men  who  really  control  them- 
selves control  others.  Many  more  are  led  than  are 
leaders.  It’s  the  main  road  of  custom  and  habit  which 
is  most  traveled.  Few  have  the  courage  to  start  new 
paths  for  themselves.  Yet  it  is  among  the  possibilities 
that  every  complete  life  must  have  a peculiar  path  of 
its  own,  but  a path  only  to  be  cut  out. 


Sole  ration. 


“ P;t>T  ana  neea 

Make  all  flesh  kin.  There  is  no  caste  in  blood, 

Which  runneth  of  one  hue,  nor  caste  in  tears, 

Which  trickle  salt  with  all ; neither  comes  man 
To  bir+h  with  tilka-mark  stamped  on  the  brow, 

Nor  sacred  thread  on  neck.  Who  doth  right  deeds 
I?  tonce-born,  and  who  doeth  ill  deeds  vile.” 

Long  ago  my  experience  taught  me  not  to  dispute 
with  anybody  about  tastes  and  whims ; one  might  as 
well  argue  about  what  you  can  see  in  the  fire.  It  is  of 


TOLERATION. 


23I 


no  use  ploughing  the  air,  or  trying  to  convince  a man 
against  his  will  in  matters  of  no  consequence.  It  is 
useless  to  try  to  end  a quarrel  by  getting  angry  over 
it;  it  is  much  the  same  as  pouring  oil  on  a fire  to 
quench  it,  and  blowing  coals  with  the  bellows  to  put 
them  out.  Some  people  like  rows — I don’t  envy  their 
choice;  I’d  rather  walk  ten  miles  to  get  out  of  a dis- 
pute than  half  a mile  to  get  into  one.  I have  often 
been  told  to  be  bold,  and  take  the  bull  by  the  horns, 
but,  as  I rather  think  that  the  amusement  is  more 
pleasant  than  profitable,  I shall  leave  it  to  those  who 
are  so  cracked  already  that  an  ugly  poke  with  a horn 
would  not  damage  their  skulls.  Solomon  says,  “ Leave 
off  strife  before  it  be  meddled  with,”  which  is  much  the 
same  as  if  he  had  said,  “Leave  off  before  you  begin.” 
When  you  see  a mad  dog,  don’t  argue  with  him  unless 
you  are  sure  of  your  logic ; better  get  out  of  his  way, 
and  if  anybody  calls  you  a coward  you  need  not  call 
him  a fool  — everybody  knows  that.  Meddling  in 
quarrels  never  answers;  let  hornets’  nests  alone,  and 
don’t  pull  down  old  houses  over  your  own  head. 
Meddlers  are  sure  to  hurt  their  own  characters  : if  you 
scrub  other  people’s  pigs,  you  will  soon  need  scrubbing 
yourself.  It  is  the  height  of  folly  to  interfere  between 
a man  and  his  wife,  for  they  will  be  sure  to  leave  off 
fighting  each  other  and  turn  their  whole  strength  upon 
you — and  serve  you  right  too  ; if  you  will  put  your 
spoon  into  other  people’s  broth  and  it  scalds  you,  who 
is  to  blame  but  yourself? 

Of  Mr.  John  Henderson  it  is  observed  that  the 
oldest  of  his  friends  never  beheld  him  otherwise  than 


232 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


calm  and  collected.  It  was  a state  of  mind  he  retained 
under  all  circumstances.  During'  his  residence  at 
Oxford,  a student  of  the  neighboring  college,  proud  of 
his  logical  acquirements,  was  solicitous  of  a private 
disputation  with  the  renowned  Henderson.  Some 
mutual  friends  introduced  him,  and  having  chosen 
his  subject,  they  conversed  for  some  time  with  equal 
candor  and  moderation  ; but  Henderson’s  antagonist, 
perceiving  his  confutation  inevitable  (forgetting  the 
character  of  a gentleman,  and  with  a resentment 
engendered  by  his  former  arrogance),  threw  a full 
glass  of  wine  in  his  face.  Henderson,  without  alter- 
ing his  features,  or  changing  his  position,  gently 
wiped  his  face,  and  then  cooly  replied,  “This,  sir,  is  a 
digression;  now  for  the  argument.” 

The  Emperor  Antoninus  said,  “ It  becomes  a man 
to  love  even  those  that  offend  him.”  Epictetus  said, 
“A  man  hurts  himself  by  injuring  me:  what,  then, 
shall  I therefore  hurt  myself  by  injuring  him?” 
Seneca  observed,  “ In  benefits  it  is  a disgrace  to  be 
outdone ; in  injuries,  to  get  the  better.” 

“Politeness,”  says  Witherspoon,  “is  real  kindness 
kindly  expressed,” — an  admirable  definition,  and  so  brief 
that  all  may  easily  remember  it.  This  is  the  sum  and 
substance  of  all  true  politeness.  Put  it  in  practice, 
and  all  will  be  charmed  with  your  manners. 

The  apostle  to  the  Indians,  Rev.  John  Elliot,  was 
characterized  by  his  great  love  of  peace.  His  advice 
to  one  in  difficulty  was,  “Brother,  compass  them;  learn 
the  meaning  of  those  three  little  words — bear,  forbear, 
and  forgive.”  Nothing  so  increases  reverence  for 


TOLERATION. 


O ">  'J 
200 

others  as  a great  sorrow  to  one’s  self.  It  teaches  one 
the  depths  of  human  nature.  In  happiness  we  are 
shallow,  and  deem  others  so. 

That  man  shall  be  immortal  who  liveth  until  stoned 
by  another  without  fault.  The  blessed  work  of  help- 
ing the  world  forward  happily  does  not  wait  for  per- 
fect men.  The  tale  of  divine  pity  was  never  believed 
from  lips  that  were  not  felt  to  be  moved  by  human  pity. 

The  last,  best  fruit,  which  comes  late  to  perfec- 
tion, even  in  the  kindliest  soul,  is  tenderness  towards 
the  hard,  forbearance  towards  the  unforbearing,  warmth 
of  heart  towards  the  misanthropic.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary to  grow  old  to  become  more  indulgent.  I see  no 
fault  committed  that  I have  not  committed  myself. 

An  ill  argument  introduced  with  deference  will 
procure  more  credit  than  the  profoundest  science 
with  a rough,  insolent,  and  noisy  management.  We 
do  not  like  our  friends  the  worse  because  they  some- 
times give  us  an  opportunity  to  rail  at  them  heartily  ; 
their  faults  reconcile  us  to  their  virtues.  Censure  is 
like  the  lightning  which  strikes  the  highest  mountains. 

Let  that  table  which  God  hath  pleased  to  give  thee 
please  thee.  He  that  made  the  vessel  knows  her  bur- 
den, and  how  to  ballast  her.  He  that  made  all  things 
very  good,  cannot  but  do  all  things  very  well.  If  thou 
be  content  with  a little,  thou  hast  enough;  if  thou 
complainest,  thou  hast  too  much. 

One  day  you  will  be  pleased  with  a friend  and  the 
next  day  disappointed  in  him.  It  will  be  so  to  the  end; 
and  you  must  make  up  your  mind  to  it,  and  not  quar- 
rel unless  for  very  grave  cause.  Your  friend,  you 


234 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


have  found  out,  is  not  perfect.  Nor  are  you  ; and  you 
cannot  expect  to  get  much  more  than  you  give.  You 
must  look  for  much  weakness,  foolishness  and  vanity 
in  human  nature ; it  is  unhappy  if  you  are  too  sharp 
in  seeing  them. 

— - +HSHH=~ 

(SONSISWENGY. 

Cicero  spoke  it  as  the  highest  commendation  of 
Cato’s  character,  that  he  embraced  philosophy,  not  for 
the  sake  of  disputing  like  a philosopher,  but  living  like 
one. 

The  shortest  and  surest  way  to  live  with  honor  in 
the  world  is  to  be  in  reality  what  we  would  appear  to 
be ; and,  if  we  observe,  we  shall  find  that  all  human 
virtues  increase  and  strengthen  themselves  by  the 
practice  and  experience  of  them.  The  only  true 
wisdom  for  boy  or  man  is  to  bring  the  whole  life  into 
obedience  to  Christ,  whose  world  we  live  in,  and  who 
has  purchased  us  with  his  blood.  Or  as  Dr.  Bushnell 
has  said  of  the  putting  on  of  Christ  as  a garment  of 
the  needy  soul : “There  can  be  no  choosing  out  here 

of  shreds  and  patches  from  his  divine  beauty ; you 
must  take  the  whole  suit,  else  you  cannot  put  him  on. 
The  garment  is  seamless,  and  cannot  be  divided.” 

If  any  one  speaks  evil  of  you,  let  your  life  be  such 
that  no  one  will  believe  him.  Consistency  is  to  speak 
as  we  think,  to  do  as  we  pretend  and  profess  to  per- 
form, and  make  good  what  we  promise,  and  really  to 
be  what  we  would  seem  and  appear  to  be. 


CONSISTENCY. 


235 


Among  Noah’s  hearers  none  were  more  regular  in 
attendance,  nor  more  outspoken  in  sympathy  and 
respect,  than  Sebed-lo-Sabad.  Others  reviled ; he 
confessed  his  acceptance  of  the  truth.  His  con- 
versation with  the  preacher  often  turned  upon  the 
approaching  Deluge. 

At  first  his  neighbors  believed  him  in  earnest;  but 
they  soon  noticed  that  he  bated  not  a jot  of  interest  in 
his  farm  or  his  merchandise.  He  builded,  he  planned, 
he  lived  as  though  there  were  no  threatening  storm. 
In  vain  the  preacher  warned  him  to  make  suitable 
preparation.  He  always  gave  some  ready  excuse  ; 
and  meanwhile  flattered  himself  for  accepting  the  truth 
and  honoring  the  preacher. 

At  last  the  storm  burst.  “Ah!”  said  he  to  his 
neighbors,  “I  knew  it  would  come!  I told  you  the 
preacher  spake  truth!” 

“Why  then,”  they  answered,  “did  you  not  flee  to 
the  ark,  and  we,  perchance  would  have  followed  your 
example?” 

He  breasted  the  storm  and  reached  the  ark’s  door. 
“Father  Noah!”  he  cried  “open  to  me!  I knew,  I 
always  said  you  spake  the  truth.  Open  to  me  ! ” 

“Not  so,  Sebed-lo-Sabad”  (Servant  of  no  service), 
was  the  reply.  “Others  disbelieved  and  are  condemned 
therefor.  You  believed,  but  confirmed  them  in  their 
unbelief  by  your  own  disobedience.  Yours  is  the 
great  guilt.  The  Almighty  hath  closed  the  door.” 

A Christian  when  he  makes  a good  profession, 
should  be  sure  to  make  his  profession  good.  It  is  sad 
to  see  many  walk  in  the  dark  themselves  who  carry  a 


236  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

lantern  for  others.  The  whole  complexion  of  a negro 
is  less  noticed  than  a single  stain  on  the  features  of  a 
white  countenance. 

When  you  cast  into  the  crucible  of  your  laboratory 
a bit  of  mud  and  extract  gold  from  it,  you  may  be  able 
to  extract  from  the  crucible  of  the  materialism  of  your 
times,  the  law  of  conscience  and  the  inflexible  author- 
ity of  duty.  There  are  but  three  classes  of  men:  the 
retrograde,  the  stationary,  and  the  progressive.  The 
man  who  is  not  living  aright  is  sour  within  ; and  the 
sour  works  out.  He  who  lives  aright  is  your  sympa- 
thetic and  generous  man.  Let  your  zeal  begin  upon 
yourself,  then  you  may  with  justice  extend  it  to  your 
neighbors. 

Says  an  eminent  Christian,  “I  have  more  trouble 
in  my  professional  life  with  a certain  class  of  conscien- 
tious persons  than  almost  any  other.  Consciences, 
like  men,  are  reasonable  and  unreasonable.  It  is  hard 
to  reason  with  an  unreasonable  conscience.  When 
you  beat  such  an  individual  with  logic,  he  angrily  falls 
back  upon  his  conscience  and  clings  to  his  dogma  like 
a saint  to  a God.” 

If  we  would  do  as  Jesus  did,  we  must  be  his  ser- 
vants; if  we  would  help  to  heal  the  evils  of  the  world, 
we  must  ourselves  be  free  from  them  ; if  we  would 
tend  the  plague-stricken,  there  must  not  be  the  plague 
in  our  own  hearts.  We  must  be  consistent,  and  give 
proofs  of  our  consistency.  It  was  in  vain  for  Seneca 
to  declaim  against  luxury  in  villas  which  excited  the 
envy  of  an  emperor,  or  against  greed  with  millions 
out  at  extortionate  usury.  Such  declamations  sound 


CONSISTENCY. 


2 37 


hollow ; such  appeals  ring  false.  He  who  would  help 
others,  must  not  only  show  the  way,  but  lead  the  way. 

God  helps  us  in  our  prayers,  but  he  does  so  in 
proportion  as  we  admit  his  aid  in  the  rest  of  our  life. 
We  cannot  pray  as  we  ought,  unless  we  live  as  we 
ought.  Our  prayers  will  partake  of  our  other  infirmi- 
ties. We  cannot  at  once  collect  ourselves  and  become 
other  men  in  the  presence  of  God  from  what  we  were 
just  before.  The  test  of  our  love  is  obedience.  This 
is  the  touchstone;  it  sweeps  away  a whole  mass  of 
natural  feeling,  and  shows  what  is  gold  and  what  is 
brass. 

It  is  really  painful  to  be  compelled  to  impute  disin- 
genuousness to  persons  who  manifest  much  religious 
zeal.  But  when  men  are  found  using  such  arguments 
and  maintaining  such  principles,  on  some  points,  as  on 
others  they  reprobate,  it  is  impossible  to  give  them 
credit  for  sincerity  in  the  means  resorted  to,  however 
sincere  may  be  their  belief  in  the  goodness  of  their 
end. 

What  is  the  true  test  of  piety?  Plain  matter-of- 
fact,  unecstatic  obedience  as  of  a child  to  a father; 
that  is  the  test.  The  only  true  joy  is  born  of  such 
obedience.  Ecstasies  that  come  from  any  other 
source  do  not  belong  to  the  legitimate  family  circle 
of  heavenly  joys.  They  are  the  result  of  that  which 
it  does  not  take  heaven  to  explain.  They  can  be 
produced  at  any  time  and  on  any  occasion  by  a com- 
bination of  earthly  forces.  Singing  can  produce 
them.  A sympathetic  voice  can  charge  the  mystic 
thrill  along  the  nerves  till  they  tingle.  Eloquence  can 


238  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH 

produce  them.  How  often  under  the  Drator’s  power 
men  and  women  weep,  groan  and  shout  in  loud 
acclaim!  The  mesmeric  influence  which  hovers  over 
a vast  audience  as  electric  lights  hover  over  marsh 
lands  during  a summer  heat  can  communicate  by 
subtle  and  untraceable  potency  its  deceptive  and 
transitorv  excitement,  so  that  the  vast  multitude  shall 
be  charged  full  of  the  current  whose  expression  might 
deceive  the  very  elect. 

Many  suppose  that  this  kind  of  feeling  is  legiti- 
mate, spiritual,  and  represents  the  real  power  of  God. 
Yea,  many  gauge  their  piety  by  the  presence  or 
absence  of  these  feelings ; which  are  feelings  that 
reach  no  farther  than  the  muscles,  and  have  their 
home  in  nothing  more  divine  than  the  nervous  tissues. 
The  piety  of  Jesus  consisted  in  obedience.  His  great 
aim  was  to  do  the  will  of  God.  He  loved  God  per- 
fectly, and  he  loved  man  perfectly,  and  so  perfectly 
fulfilled  the  law ; and  so  had  perfect  happiness. 
Obedience  to  God  lies  in  natural  duties  as  truly  as 
what  are  known  as  technically  spiritual.  The  perfect 
life  stands  parent  to  the  perfect  joy. 

An  inconsistent  person  may  be  as  inconsistent  in 
his  charities  as  he  is  in  his  luxuries;  for  charity  is,  in 
truth,  a sort  of  luxury.  Many  a man  called  benevo- 
lent is  simply  wasteful,  and  the  cause  of  waste  in 
others  ; for  to  give  away  money  without  considering 
how  far  the,  recipient  has  a right  to  it,  or  will  benefit 
by  it,  is  no  more  an  act  of  benevolence  than  is  throw- 
ing down  a handful  of  coppers  to  be  scrambled  for  in 
the  street. 


PRECISION. 


239 


Decision. 

Precision — The  habit  of  being  precise  in  all  that 
you  do  or  say,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  traits  of 
character.  It  contributes  more  to  a success  in  life, 
moral  as  well  as  financial,  than  any  other  quality  ex- 
cept honesty.  It  is  an  attainment  that  can  only  be 
acquired  after  long  years  of  careful  training  and  self- 
education.  The  habit  of  noticing  little  things,  permit- 
ting nothing  to  escape  your  attention,  is  directly  in  the 
line  of  the  acquirement  of  the  faculty  of  preciseness. 
First,  to  take  notice  of  everything,  and  then  to  know 
how  to  use  to  best  advantage  every  such  thing, — this 
is  a large  part  of  precision. 

One  of  the  most  important  duties,  connected  with 
the  prosecution  of  any  business,  is  the  habit  of  punctu- 
ality, and  it  can  only  be  attained  by  the  exercise  of 
rare  judgment  on  the  part  of  the  heads  of  departments. 
On  this  subject  we  cannot  forbear  quoting  from  Mr. 
De  Vinne’s  excellent  Price  List  for  Printers : “ Be 
punctual  with  all  customers.  To  do  this  much  discre- 
tion is  needed.  The  work  that  one  thinks  may  be 
done  in  two  hours  often  takes  three.  Some  allowance 
must  be  made  for  accidents  and  detentions.  Allow 
for  these  and  make  promises  accordingly.  To  oblige 
a customer,  it  is  frequently  to  the  interest  of  the  office 
to  tax  its  resources  severely,  to  do  some  work  at  great 
sacrifices,  or  even  at  positive  loss.  The  willingness  to 
oblige  a customer  is  not  always  accompanied  with  a 


240 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


corresponding  ability.  He  who  good-naturedly  prom- 
ises more  than  he  can  perform,  is  much  more  likely  to 
offend  by  his  failure,  than  by  his  decided,  but  courteous 
refusal.” 

Southey  says,  “If  you  would  be  pungent,  be  brief; 
for  it  is  with  words  as  with  sunbeams — the  more  they 
are  condensed  the  deeper  they  burn.”  Long  visits, 
long  stories,  long  exhortations  and  long  prayers  sel- 
dom profit  those  who  have  to  do  with  them.  Life  is 
short.  Time  is  short.  Moments  are  precious.  Learn 
to  condense,  abridge  and  intensify.  We  can  endure 
many  an  ache  and  ill  if  it  is  soon  over,  while  even 
pleasures  grow  insipid  and  pain  intolerable  if  they  are 
protracted  beyond  the  limits  of  reason  and  convenience. 
Learn  to  be  brief.  Lop  off  branches;  stick  to  the 
main  facts  in  your  case.  If  you  pray  ask  for  what  you 
would  receive,  and  get  through;  if  you  speak  tell  your 
message,  and  hold  your  peace;  boil  down  two  words 
into  one,  and  three  into  two. 

A cannon  ball  feebly  propelled  may  fall  short  of 
the  mark  and  be  in  vain,  while  a rifle  ball  urged  on  by 
a measureless  force  may  bury  itself  deep  in  the  heart 
of  the  obstacle.  A fit  and  timely  word,  a warm  God- 
speed to  a struggling,  desponding,  half-despairing  soul, 
a cheery  commendation,  a helping  hand  extended  to 
a human  brother  or  sister  staggering  under  a burden 
of  toil  and  care,  or  under  a heavier  burden  of  sin  and 
shame,  a brotherly  exhortation,  breath  of  prayer  for 
some  sick  or  needy  one,  has  each  behind  it  the  Power 
of  God,  and  may  issue  in  results  which  Time  cannot 
weigh — which  only  eternity  can  measure. 


PRECISION. 


24I 


It  is  a vast  error  to  suppose  that  it  takes  large 
words  to  state  large  thoughts,  or  that  great  truths 
require  to  be  stated  in  a startling  form.  Nothing  can 
be  more  simple,  nothing  can  be  more  self-evident, 
more  axiomatic,  yet  nothing  can  be  more  impressive, 
nothing  (rightly  viewed)  can  be  more  startling,  than 
the  statement : “ Things  and  actions  are  what  they  are , 
and  the  consequences  of  them  will  be  what  they  will 
be;  why,  then,  should  we  desire  to  be  deceived?” 
These  plain,  almost  common-place,  words  come  di- 
rectly home  to  the  conscience ; they  strip  away 
the  pretexts  by  which  we  have  disguised  ourselves 
from  ourselves  ; They  bring  us  face  to  face  with  eter- 
nal realities.  If  men  would  but  lay  this  to  heart,  that 
“ Things  and  actions  are  what  they  are,”  that  falsehood 
is  falsehood ; stealing  is  stealing,  no  matter  by  what 
name  you  call  it ; lust  is  lust ; sin  is  sin  ; and  “ the 
consequences  of  them  will  be  what  they  will  be ; ” it  is 
not  in  created  power  to  reverse  or  change  or  evade 
the  result. 

The  greater  part  of  all  the  mischief  of  the  world 
comes  from  the  fact  that  men  do  not  sufficiently  under- 
stand their  own  aims.  They  have  undertaken  to  build 
a tower,  and  spend  no  more  labor  on  the  foundation 
than  would  be  necessary  to  erect  a hut.  Micawber- 
like,  they  live  on  from  day  to  day,  waiting  for  some- 
thing to  turn  up,  hoping  that  some  one  else  will  do  for 
them  what  they  ought  themselves  to  have  done  long 
since.  They  wonder  why  their  own  hearts  are  not 
filled  with  the  blessings  of  grace,  or  their  lives 

crowned  with  material  success,  and  yet  they  shirk 
16 


242 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


every  care,  and  dawdle  away  their  time  in  the  most 
unconcerned  manner  conceivable.  Others  throw  an 
abundance  of  energy  into  their  work,  but  for  want  of 
precision  and  accuracy,  defeat  their  own  object,  and 
waste  their  energies  as  effectually  as  the  idle  and 
vicious. 

“That  tenon  does  not  fit  the  mortise  by  a quarter 
of  an  inch,”  said  an  employer  to  a young  carpenter 
who  had  just  begun  to  work  for  him. 

“I  thought  that  for  a garden  gate  you  would  not 
be  particular,  and  it  would  make  no  difference,” 
answered  the  young  man. 

But  it  did  make  a difference.  It  made  just  the 
difference  between  the  young  man  having  a steady 
summer  job  at  good  wages,  and  having  his  time  un- 
occupied upon  his  hands.  The  employer  found  no 
further  fault;  but  when  the  gate  was  finished  he  paid 
the  maker,  without  a word,  and  dismissed  him. 

The  next  day  there  was  another  man  in  his  place. 
He  happened  to  be  a man  who  thought  it  did  make  a 
difference  how  everything  was  done;  he  always  did  his 
best  and  he  kept  his  situation  till  the  end  of  the  season. 

So  it  happens.  Frequently  some  little  thing  which 
was  not  expected  to  attract  attention  is  noticed  by 
some  one  to  whom  the  excellence  of  the  work  has 
commended  itself,  and  the  man  who  has  made  pains- 
taking the  rule  of  all  his  labor  is  surprised  by  a 
sudden  and  unlooked-for  accession  of  good  fortune. 
He  has  been  brought  into  notice  by  some  uncon- 
sidered trifle,  which  was  well  done,  merely  because  it 
was  his  to  do  everything  as  well  as  possible. 


TACT. 


245 


On  the  other  hand,  how  many  a man  who  is  lament- 
ing his  ill  fortune,  and  doesn’t  know  what  to  attribute  it 
to,  might  trace  it  to  some  such  carelessness  in  the  way  of 
doing  his  work  as  that  which  doomed  the  young  carpen- 
ter to  a summer  of  profitless  idleness.  Men  are  by  no 
means  always  told  by  what  particular  act  they  are 
judged;  but  any  bad  performance  is  always  liable  to 
mar  a fortune. 


(OAGfik 


True  politeness  is  to  say 

The  kindest  thing  in  the  kindest  way. 

Lord  Bacon  advises  that,  in  things  that  are  tender 
and  unpleasing,  it  is  good  to  break  the  ice  by  some 
words  of  less  weight,  and  to  reserve  the  more  weighty 
voice  to  come  in  as  by  chance,  so  that  he  may  be  asked 
the  question  upon  the  other’s  speech,  as  Narcissus  did, 
in  relating  to  Claudius  the  marriage  of  Messalina  and 
Silius. 

A joke  never  gains  an  enemy,  but  often  loses  a 
friend.  It  is  the  part  of  a prudent  man  to  conciliate 
the  minds  of  others,  and  to  turn  them  to  his  own  ad- 
vantage. A writer  puts  the  case  wisely  when  he 
advises  as  follows : Never  join  with  your  friend  when 
he  abuses  his  horse  or  his  wife,  unless  the  one  is  about 
to  be  sold,  and  the  other  to  be  buried.  Kind  words 
cost  nothing ; they  are  better  to  use  than  any  other. 

It  is  extremely  hard  at  times  for  us  to  give  the 
“soft  answer,  ” but  the  harder  it  is  the  more  sure  may 


244  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

we  feel  that  a soft  answer  is  what  our  own  chafed 
spirit  at  least  needs.  Hasty  words  not  only  rasp  the 
one  they  are  thrown  at,  but  also  the  one  that  gives 
vent  to  them.  Be  careful  how  you  give  way  to  them. 

The  world  is  a looking-glass  and  gives  back  to 
every  man  the  reflection  of  his  own  face.  Frown  at  it, 
and  it  will  turn  and  look  surly  upon  you;  laugh  at  it 
and  with  it  and  it  is  a pleasant,  kind  companion. 

Uniform  good  nature  and  loving  service  will  make 
a company  of  street  gamins  tractable.  Good-tempered 
persistency  will  wear  away  the  rock  of  a criminal’s 
obstinacy  or  indifference.  Kindness  will  propitiate  a 
lion.  Devotion  will  inspire  respect  in  the  breast  of  a 
savage.  Tact  will  supplement  talent  in  swaying  a 
State  or  leading  the  world.  And  above  and  in  all,  and 
stronger  than  all,  is  Love — “the  impelling  force  of 
life.  ” 

There  is  no  condition  of  life  so  bad  but  it  has  one 
good  side.  It  is  the  province  of  tact  to  bring  out  the 
bright  and  the  cheerful  points  in  the  darkest  places  of 
life.  Thackeray  says,  “ Some  people  cannot  drive  to 
happiness  with  four  horses,  and  others  can  reach  the 
goal  on  foot.”  Tact  and  a cheerful  temper  will  furnish 
more  real  joy  than  all  the  riches  of  earth.  To  know 
how  to  use  your  opportunities ; when  to  pass  by  and 
when  to  notice  ; when  to  interrupt  and  when  to  permit 
— these  are  the  province  of  genuine  tact. 

How  often  do  we  see  the  woman  of  small  talents 
and  humble  life  rise  into  a heroine  in  the  house  ol 
sorrow  by  her  tact  and  good  management.  Presence 
of  mind  and  ready  wit  have  served  a good  turn  in 


TACT. 


245 


many  cases  where  the  greatest  wisdom  and  most 
ponderous  learning  would  have  sunk  the  ship.  Every 
situation  has  its  point  of  view ; we  should  place  it  in 
that  favorable  light. 

Years  ago,  into  a wholesale  grocery  store  in  Bos- 
ton, walked  a tall,  muscular-looking  man,  evidently  a 
fresh  comer  from  some  backwoods  town  in  Maine 
or  New  Hampshire.  Accosting  the  first  person  he 
met,  who  happened  to  be  the  merchant  himself,  he 
asked : 

“You  don’t  want  to  hire  a man  in  your  store,  do 
you?  ” 

“Well,”  said  the  merchant,  “I  don’t  know;  what 
can  you  do?” 

“Do?”  said  the  man,  “I  rather  guess  I can  turn 
my  hand  to  almost  anything — what  do  you  want 
done  ? ” 

“Well,  if  I was  to  hire  a man,  it  would  be  one  who 
could  lift  well;  a strong,  wiry  fellow.  One,  for 
instance,  who  could  shoulder  a sack  of  coffee  like 
that  yonder,  and  carry  it  across  the  floor  and  never 
lay  it  down.” 

“There,  now  Captain,”  said  the  countryman, 
“that’s  just  me.  I can  lift  anything  I hitch  to;  you 
can’t  suit  me  better.  What  will  you  give  a man  that 
will  suit  you? ” 

“I’ll  tell  you,”  said  the  merchant;  “if  you’ll  shoul- 
der that  sack  of  coffee  and  carry  it  across  the  store 
twice,  and  never  lay  it  down,  I will  hire  you  for  a year 
at  one  hundred  dollars  a month.” 

“ Done,”  said  the  stranger,  and  by  this  time  every 


246 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


clerk  in  the  store  had  gathered  around  and  waited  to 
join  in  the  laugh  against  the  man,  who,  walking  up  to 
the  sack,  threw  it  across  his  shoulder  with  perfect- ease, 
though  extremely  heavy,  and  walking  with  it  twice 
across  the  floor,  went  quietly  to  a large  hook  which 
was  fastened  to  the  wall,  and  hanging  it  up,  turned  to 
the  merchant  and  said: 

“ There,  now ; it  may  hang  there  till  doomsday,  I 
shall  never  take  it  down.  What  shall  I go  about  now, 
mister?  Just  give  me  plenty  to  do  and  one  hundred 
dollars  a month,  and  it’s  all  right.” 

They  broke  into  a laugh,  and  the  merchant,  dis- 
comfited, yet  satisfied,  kept  his  agreement,  and  to-day 
the  green  countryman  is  the  senior  partner  in  the 
firm,  and  is  worth  a million  dollars. 

A little  management  may  often  evade  resistance, 
which  a vast  force  might  vainly  strive  to  overcome. 
Grant  graciously  what  you  cannot  refuse  safely,  and 
conciliate  those  you  cannot  conquer. 

Debt  and  Destruction. 

“ Neither  a borrower  nor  a lender  be, 

For  debt  oft  loses  both  itself  and  friend.” 

Debtors  can  hardly  help  being  liars,  for  they 
promise  to  pay  when  they  know  they  cannot,  and  when 
they  have  made  up  a lot  of  false  excuses,  they  promise 
again,  so  that  they  lie  as  fast  as  a horse  can  trot. 

Now,  if  owing  leads  to  lying,  who  shall  say  that  it 


DEBT  AND  DESTRUCTION. 


247 


is  not  a most  evil  thing?  Of  course,  there  are  excep- 
tions, and  I do  not  want  to  bear  hard  upon  an  honest 
man  who  is  brought  down  by  sickness  or  heavy  losses  ; 
but  take  the  rule  as  a rule,  and  you  will  find  debt  to  be 
a great  dismal  swamp,  a huge  mudhole,  a dirty  ditch : 
happy  is  the  man  who  gets  out  of  it  after  once  tumbling 
in,  but  happiest  of  all  is  he  who  has  been  by  God’s 
goodness  kept  out  of  the  mire  altogether.  If  you  once 
ask  the  devil  to  dinner  it  will  be  hard  to  oret  him  out 

o> 

of  the  house  again : better  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
him.  Where  a hen  has  laid  one  egg,  she  is  very  likely 
to  lay  another;  when  a man  is  once  in  debt,  he  is  likely 
to  get  into  it  again;  better  keep  clear  of  it  from  the 
first.  He  who  gets  in  for  a nickel  will  soon  be  in  for 
an  eagle,  and  when  a man  is  over  shoes,  he  is  very 
liable  to  be  over  boots.  Never  owe  a cent,  and  you 
will  never  owe  a dollar. 

To  be  comfortable  and  contented,  be  sure  to  spend 
less  than  you  earn,  and  restrain  your  outgoes  till  they 
are  less  than  your  incomes.  This  seems  to  be  a fact 
that  very  few  persons  have  learned.  When  a man  be- 
gins to  go  down  hill  he  finds  everything  greased  for 
the  occasion,  says  a philosopher,  who  might  have  added 
that  when  he  tries  to  climb  up  he  finds  everything 
greased  for  the  occasion,  too. 

Pay  as  you  go.  This  is  considered  a very  excellent 
motto  in  business,  and  if  all  business  men  do  not  act 
upon  it,  they  do  what  is  pretty  much  the  same  thing, 
they  keep  accounts,  and  watch  them  closely,  in  order 
to  know  how  they  stand,  whether  their  expenses  are 
greater  than  their  receipts,  and  whether  they  are  pre- 


248 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


pared  to  meet  their  bills  when  presented  and  whether 
they  are  not  running  too  much  risk  in  case  of  some 
unexpected  calamity.  Moreover,  they  are  not  looking 
to  see  how  much  they  can  spend,  but  how  much  they 
can  save,  and  they  are  always  anxious  to  decrease 
their  unnecessary  risks. 

But  this  principle  may  well  be  carried  out  intc- 
other  lines  of  conduct  where  it  is  now  but  little  prac 
ticed.  People  draw  too  heavily  on  their  health,  on 
their  friends’  kindness,  on  their  own  strength  to  resist 
temptation,  and  on  dozens  of  other  parts  of  their  men- 
tal or  moral  capital,  without  even  stopping  to  make  a 
note  of  it.  Take,  for  instance,  the  case  of  friendship. 
A man  has  some  sharp  words  with  a friend.  He  knows 
it  is  his  duty  to  agree,  even  with  an  adversary,  quickly, 
while  he  is  yet  in  the  way  with  him,  and  much  more  is 
it  his  duty  to  make  up  with  a friend.  But  he  does  not 
try  it.  He  lets  it  run  on,  and  the  next  time  he  expects 
some  neighborly  kindness  from  his  friend  he  does  not 
get  it.  His  account  is  overdrawn,  but  of  course  he 
never  thinks  of  that.  He  is  angry,  and  thinks  he  has 
somehow  been  cheated.  This  is  because  he  does  not 
keep  strict  accounts.  He  never  stops,  when  he  has 
done  a thing,  to  consider  what  the  result  will  be.  He 
thinks  it  will  all  come  out  right  somehow.  As  for 
drawing  too  heavily  on  our  strength  to  resist  tempta- 
tion, I need  give  no  instance  of  that.  We  all  know 
how  that  is  done. 

We  are  apt  to  blame  young  men  for  being  destroyed 
when  we  ought  to  blame  the  influences  that  destroy 
them.  Society  slaughters  a great  many  young  men  by 


DEBT  AND  DESTRUCTION. 


2 49 


the  behest,  “You  must  keep  up  appearances;  whatever 
be  your  salary,  you  must  dress  as  well  as  others,  you 
must  wine  and  brandy  as  many  friends,  you  must 
smoke  as  costly  cigars,  you  must  give  as  expen- 
sive entertainments,  and  you  must  live  in  as  fashiona- 
ble a boarding-house.  If  you  haven’t  the  money,  bor- 
row. If  you  can’t  borrow,  make  a false  entry,  or  sub- 
tract here  and  there  a bill  from  a bundle  of  bank  notes; 
you  will  only  have  to  make  the  deception  a little 
while ; in  a few  months,  or  in  a year  or  two,  you  can 
make  all  right.  Nobody  will  be  hurt  by  it,  nobody 
will  be  the  wiser.  You  yourself  will  not  be  damaged.” 
By  that  awful  process  a hundred  thousand  men  have 
been  slaughtered  for  time  and  slaughtered  for  eternity. 

Our  young  men  are  coming  up  in  this  depraved 
state  of  commercial  ethics,  and  I am  solicitous  about 
them.  I want  to  warn  them  against  being  slaughtered 
on  the  sharp  edges  of  debt.  You  want  many  things 
you  have  not,  my  young  friends.  You  shall  have 
them  if  you  have  patience  and  honesty  and  industry. 
Certain  lines  of  conduct  always  lead  out  to  certain 
successes. 

Suppose  you  borrow.  There  is  nothing  wrong 
about  borrowing  money.  There  is  hardly  a man  in 
the  house  but  has  sometimes  borrowed  money.  Vast 
estates  have  been  built  on  a borrowed  dollar.  But 
there  are  two  kinds  of  borrowed  money ; money  bor- 
rowed for  the  purpose  of  starting  or  keeping  up  legiti- 
mate enterprise  and  expense,  and  money  borrowed 
to  get  that  which  you  can  do  without.  The  first  is 
right,  the  other  is  wrong.  If  you  have  money  enough 


250 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  your  own  to  buy  a coat,  however  plain,  and  then 
you  borrow  money  for  a dandy’s  outfit,  you  have 
taken  the  first  revolution  of  the  wheel  down  grade. 
Borrow  for  the  necessities  ; that  may  be  well.  Bor- 
row for  the  luxuries;  that  tips  your  prospects  over  in 
the  wrong  direction. 

The  Bible  distinctly  says  the  borrower  is  servant 
of  the  lender.  It  is  a bad  state  of  things  when 
you  have  to  go  down  some  other  street  to  escape 
meeting  some  one  whom  you  owe.  If  young  men 
knew  what  is  the  despotism  of  being  in  debt,  more  of 
them  would  keep  out  of  it.  What  did  debt  do  for 
Lord  Bacon,  with  a mind  towering  above  the  centu- 
ries? It  induced  him  to  take  bribes  and  convict  him- 
self as  a criminal  before  all  ages.  What  did  debt  do 
lor  Walter  Scott?  Broken-hearted  at  Abbotsford — 
kept  him  writing  until  his  hand  gave  out  in  paralysis 
to  keep  the  sheriff  away  from  his  pictures  and  stat- 
uary. Better  for  him  if  he  had  minded  the  maxim 
which  he  had  chiseled  over  the  fireplace  at  Abbots- 
ford, “Waste  not,  want  not.” 

Bring  me  a young  man  and  tell  me  what  his  phys- 
ical health  is,  and  what  his  mental  calibre,  and  what 
his  habits,  and  I will  tell  you  what  will  be  his  destiny 
for  this  world,  and  his  destiny  for  the  world  to  come, 
and  I will  not  make  five  inaccurate  prophecies  out  of 
the  five  hundred.  All  this  makes  me  solicitous  in 
regard  to  young  men,  and  I want  to  make  them  ner- 
vous in  regard  to  the  contraction  of  unpayable  debts. 


HONESTY  THE  BEST  POLICY. 


251 


Honesty  ©he  Best  Policy. 

We  quote  the  following  from  a witty  and  sensible 
writer:  “ Does  it,  after  all,  pay  to  be  honest?”  a dis- 

appointed young  man  writes.  No,  my  son,  not  if 
you’re  honest  for  pay,  it  doesn’t.  Not  if  you  are  hon- 
est merely  because  you  think  it  will  pay ; not  if  you 
are  honest  only  because  you  are  afraid  to  be  a rogue; 
indeed,  my  dear  boy,  it  does  not  pay  to  be  honest  that 
way.  If  you  can’t  be  honest  because  you  hate  a lie 
and  scorn  a mean  action,  if  you  can’t  be  honest  from 
principle,  be  a rascal:  that’s  what  you  are  intended  for 
and  you’ll  probably  succeed  at  it.  But  you  cannot 
make  anybody  believe  in  honesty  that  is  bought  and 
sold  like  merchandise. 

A great  many  people  think  the  simple  paying  of  a 
debt  constitutes  the  whole  of  honesty.  An  honest 
man  always  pays  his  debts,  but  he  will  also  do  a great 
many  other  things  which  are  honest.  Jesus  says,  ren- 
der not  only  unto  men  the  things  which  belong  to 
them,  but  also  unto  God  the  things  which  belong  to 
him.  Is  there  not  something-  meant  here  besides  the 
mere  paying  of  debts?  Should  not  Christians  strive 
to  obey  all  of  this  Divine  injunction  ? Should  they  not 
render  to  God  all  the  praise  of  their  hearts,  all  the  ser- 
vices of  their  lives  ? If  it  is  dishonest  to  withhold  from 
men  what  is  due  them,  is  it  not  much  more  so  to  keep 
from  God  what  rightly  belongs  to  him? 

Put  it  out  of  the  power  of  truth  to  give  you  an  ill 


252 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


character ; and  if  anybody  reports  you  not  to  be  an 
honest  man,  let  your  practice  give  him  the  lie  ; and  to 
make  all  sure,  you  should  resolve  to  live  no  longer 
than  you  can  live  honestly ; for  it  is  better  to  be 
nothing  than  a knave. 

There  is  no  ascertaining  the  quality  of  a tree  but 
by  its  fruits.  When  the  wheels  of  a clock  move 
within,  the  hands  on  the  dial  will  move  without.  When 
the  heart  of  a man  is  sound  in  conversion,  then  the 
life  will  be  fair  in  profession.  When  the  conduit  is 
walled  in,  how  shall  we  judge  of  the  spring  but  by  the 
waters  which  run  through  the  pipes  ! 

The  futility  of  a dishonest  course  is  well  shown  by 
the  old  fable  of  the  woodman  who  lost  his  axe  in  the 
river,  and  thereupon  was  presented  by  Mercury  with 
one  of  gold.  Another  man  came  to  the  spot  and 
threw  in  his  axe,  calling  upon  the  god  to  reward  him 
in  like  manner,  and  upon  Mercury  presenting  one  of 
gold,  laid  claim  to  it  as  the  one  he  had  lost.  But  this 
was  refused  him,  and  he  also  lost  the  other  one,  left 
lying  in  the  river. 

The  fortune  of  the  Rothschilds  is  traced  to  the 
honesty  of  Moses  Rothschild,  of  Frankfort.  During 
the  French  Revolution,  a prince  of  Hesse-Cassel,  flee- 
ing through  Frankfort,  left  his  treasures  with  a small 

<_>  <_5  ' 

Jew  banker  there,  who  refused  to  give  him  a receipt 
for  them.  Afterwards  the  French  plundered  the  Jew, 
robbing  him  of  all  but  the  Prince’s  treasures,  which 
were  buried  in  his  garden.  These  he  dug  up  and 
used  in  trade,  and  when  the  times  of  peace  returned, 
he  restored  the  money  and  jewels  to  the  prince,  though 


HONESTY  THE  BEST  POLICY. 


253 


he  had  lost  his  own.  The  prince  in  gratitude  recom- 
mended the  honest  banker  to  various  sovereigns.  His 
business  prospered,  and  his  house  has  exercised  a 
greater  influence  in  the  affairs  of  Europe  than  any 
king.  Strict  honesty  has  been  their  principle.  People 
found  that  they  could  be  trusted,  and  unprecedented 
success  is  the  result. 

A beautiful  palace  in  Germany  has  a statue  placed 
at  one  corner,  which  represents  a poor  little  beggar 
boy.  The  owner  of  the  palace  was  once  a little  Italian 
beggar  at  Naples.  One  day  a German  nobleman  was 
driving  along  the  dusty  highway,  where  a crowd  of 
these  ragged  little  fellows  had  collected.  They  all 
started  to  run  after  him,  but  as  he  drove  on,  one 
after  another  dropped  back  until  only  this  one  boy 
remained,  his  hunger  lending  a desperate  energy  to  his 
weary  limbs.  The  count  threw  what  he  believed  was 
a copper  coin  to  the  lad,  but  it  was  really  a piece  of 
gold.  The  boy  wac  too  honest  to  keep  this,  and  man- 
aged to  overtake  his  benefactor  and  return  the  coin. 
This  act  laid  the  foundation  of  his  fortune. 

Bacon  says  dissimulation  is  but  a faint  kind  of 
policy.  What  he  says  of  the  inexpediency  of  all 
insincere  proceedings  is  very  true.  Nothing  but  the 
right  can  ever  be  the  expedient,  since  that  can  never  be 
true  expediency  which  would  sacrifice  a greater  good 
to  a less.  It  will  be  found  that  all  frauds,  like  the 
“ wall  daubed  with  untempered  mortar,”  with  which 
men  think  to  buttress  up  an  edifice,  tend  to  the  decay 
of  that  which  they  are  devised  to  support.  This  truth, 
however,  will  never  be  steadily  acted  on  by  those  who 


254 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


have  no  moral  detestation  of  falsehood.  It  is  not 
given  to  those  who  do  not  prize  straightforwardness 
for  its  own  sake,  to  perceive  that  it  is  the  wisest  course. 
The  maxim  that  “ Honesty  is  the  best  policy,”  is  one 
which,  perhaps,  no  one  is  ever  guided  by  in  practice 
An  honest  man  is  always  before  it,  and  a knave  is  gen- 
erally behind  it.  He  does  not  find  out  till  too  late, 

What  a tangled  web  we  weave, 

When  first  we  practice  to  deceive. 

No  one,  in  fact,  is  capable  of  fully  appreciating  the 
ultimate  expediency  of  a devoted  adherence  to  truth, 
save  the  Divine  Being,  who  is  the  truth ; because  he 
alone  comprehends  the  whole  of  the  vast  and  imper- 
fectly revealed  scheme  of  Providence,  and  alone  can 
see  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  human  heart,  and  alone 
can  foresee  and  judge  of  the  remotest  consequences  of 
human  actions. 

■ — ’ — 
fflOI^AL  (©OUTAGE. 

Give  to  the  winds  thy  fears ! 

Hope,  and  be  undismayed; 

God  ht  ars  thy  sighs,  and  counts  thy  fears, 

God  shall  lift  up  thy  head. 

Whenever  you  see  a wrong  deed,  and  have  the 
courage  to  say,  “It  is  wrong,  and  I for  one  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it  ” ; whenever  you  come  in  contact 
with  a low  and  unchristian  standard,  or  a bad,  un- 
worthy habit,  and  are  man  enough  first  to  refuse  to 
succumb  to  it,  and  then  to  do  your  best  to  overthrow 
it,  you  are  a prophet ; and,  by  acting  thus,  you  can 


MORAL  COURAGE. 


255 


help  to  improve  the  moral  standard  of  the  world. 
Your  words  and  deeds  will  breathe  like  fresh  wind 
through  the  perfumed  and  polluted  atmosphere  of 
society.  Be  brave,  be  just,  be  truthful,  and  honest  to 
the  heart’s  core,  and  so  serve  your  brother  man,  your 
Father  God  and  your  Savior  the  Lord  Christ.  If  the 
gospel  be  the  example  of  Christ,  this  is  the  gospel, 
and  nothing  but  the  gospel. 

The  courageous  man  is  an  example  to  the  intrepid. 
His  influence  is  magnetic.  He  creates  an  epidemic  of 
nobleness.  Men  follow  him  even  to  the  death.  It  is 
not  the  men  that  succeed  that  are  always  worthy  of 
estimation.  The  men  who  fail  for  a time  continue  to 
exercise  a potent  influence  on  their  race.  The  leader  of 
the  forlorn  hope  may  fall  in  the  breach,  but  his  body 
furnishes  the  bridge  over  which  the  victors  enter  thev' 

o> 

citadel. 

It  is  the  lives  like  the  stars,  which  simply  pour 
down  on  us  the  calm  light  of  their  bright  and  faithful 
being,  up  to  which  we  look,  and  out  of  which  we 
gather  the  deepest  calm  and  courage.  No  man  or 
woman  of  the  humblest  sort  can  really  be  strong, 
gentle,  pure  and  good,  without  the  world  being  better 
for  it,  without  somebody  being  helped  and  comforted 
by  the  very  existence  of  that  goodness. 

Christians  must  by  all  means  have  courage  in  that 
they  do,  or  undertake,  for  the  advancement  of  our 
Lord’s  cause  in  the  world.  There  is  no  reason  why 
they  should  not.  It  is  the  Lord’s  cause.  It  is  destined 
to  prevail.  He  has  determined  that  it  shall  not  be 
turned  back.  Their  due  efforts  in  its  behalf,  too,  will 


256  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

not  fail,  but  will  certainly  bring  forth  fruit,  however  it 
may  now  appear.  It  is  only  the  other  things  they  may 
try  to  do,  apart  from  this  their  Christian  work,  that  can 
ever  fail.  Every  one,  then,  may  have  a good  heart  in 
the  Lord’s  service,  and  in  all  Christian  well-doing,  and 
should  have  it.  Christian  preachers,  especially,  have 
a right  to  have,  and  ought  to  have,  this  steady  confi- 
dence and  hope.  They  might  be  stronger  some  of 
them  in  their  pulpits  with  more  of  it ; they  might  have 
more  enjoyment  in  their  work ; and  a larger  blessing 
might  follow  their  labors. 

How  much  is  lost  to  the  world  Tor  want  of  a little 
courage ! We  have  the  willingness  to  do,  but  we  fail 
to  do  it.  The  state  of  the  world  is  such,  and  so  much 
depends  on  action,  that  everything  seems  to  say  loudly 
to  every  man,  “Do  something;  do  it,  do  it.”  The  poor 
country  parson,  fighting  against  evil  in  his  parish, 
against  wrong-doing,  injustice,  and  iniquity,  has  nobler 
ideas  of  duty  than  Alexander  the  Great  ever  had. 
Some  men  are  mere  apologies  for  workers,  even  when 
they  pretend  to  be  up  and  at  it. 

More  than  ever  do  I feel  that  our  families  must 
stand  in  a kind  but  determined  opposition  to  the 
fashions  of  the  world,  breasting  the  waves  like  the 
Eddystone  lighthouse.  And  I have  found  nothing  yet 
that  requires  more  courage  and  independence  than  to 
rise  a little  but  decidedly  above  the  par  of  the  religious 
world  around  us.  What  incalculable  mischief  is  done 
to  the  cause  of  God  by  the  love  of  pre-eminence  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  extreme  sensitiveness  to  any  fancied 
slight  upon  the  other.  Deeds  are  fruit,  words  are  but 


MORAL  COURAGE. 


2 57 


leaves.  There  is  no  pleasure  like  that  of  exercising 
one’s  soul  in  bearing  pain,  and  of  finding  one’s  heart 
glow  with  the  hope  that  one  is  pleasing  God. 

There  must  not  only  be  a conquest  over  likings  and 
dislikings ; but  what  is  harder  to  attain,  a triumph 
over  adverse  repute.  The  man  whose  first  question, 
after  a right  course  of  action  has  presented  itself,  is, 
“What  will  people  say?”  is  not  the  man  to  do  any- 
thing at  all.  But  if  he  asks,  “Is  it  my  duty?”  he  can 
then  proceed  in  his  moral  panoply,  and  be  ready  to 
incur  men’s  censure,  and  even  to  brave  their  ridicule. 
“Let  us  have  faith  in  fine  actions,”  says  M.  de  la 
Cretelle,  “and  let  us  reserve  doubt  and  incredulity  for 
bad.  It  is  even  better  to  be  deceived  than  to  distrust.” 

A poor  boy  was  attending  school  one  day  with  a 
large  patch  on  the  knees  of  one  of  his  trowsers.  One 
of  his  schoolmates  made  fun  of  him  for  this  and 
called  him  “ Old  Patch.” 

“ Why  don’t  you  fight  him  ? ” cried  one  of  the  boys. 
“ I’d  give  it  to  him  if  he  called  me  so.” 

“Oh,”  said  the  boy,  “you  don’t  suppose  I’m 
ashamed  of  my  patch,  do  you  ? For  my  part,  I’m 
thankful  for  a good  mother  to  keep  me  out  of  rags. 
I'm  proud  of  my  patch  for  her  sake!' 

This  was  noble.  That  boy  had  the  courage  that 
would  make  him  succesful  in  the  struggles  of  life. 
We  must  have  courage  in  our  struggles,  if  we  hope  to 
come  out  rio-ht. 

o 

Courage  is  the  quality  which  all  men  delight  to 
honor.  It  is  the  energy  which  rises  to  all  the  emergen- 
cies of  life.  It  is  the  perfect  will,  which  no  terrors  can 


25§ 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


shake.  It  will  enable  one  to  die,  if  need  be,  in  the 
performance  of  duty.  All  the  great  work  of  the  world 
has  been  accomplished  by  courage.  Every  blessing 
that  we  enjoy — personal  security,  individual  liberty, 
and  constitutional  freedom — has  been  obtained  through 

o 

long  apprenticeships  of  evil.  It  required  four  centuries 
of  martyrdom  to  establish  Christianity,  and  a century 
of  civil  wars  to  introduce  the  Reformation. 

Have  the  courage  to  discharge  a debt  while  you 
have  money  in  your  pocket.  Have  the  courage  to  do 
without  that  which  you  do  not  need,  however  much 
your  eyes  covet  it.  Have  the  courage  to  speak  your 
mind  when  it  is  necessary  you  should  do  so.  Have 
the  courage  to  speak  to  a friend  in  a “seedy  coat” 
though  you  are  in  company  with  a rich  one  and  richly 
attired.  Have  the  courage  to  wear  your  old  clothes 
until  you  can  pay  for  new  ones.  Have  the  courage  to 
prefer  comfort  and  prosperity  to  fashion  in  all  things. 
Have  the  courage  to  acknowledge  your  ignorance, 
rather  than  seek  credit  for  knowledge  under  false  pre- 
tense. Have  the  courage  to  provide  entertainment 
for  your  friends  within  your  means — not  beyond. 

At  the  bottom  of  a good  deal  of  the  bravery  that 
appears  in  the  world  there  lurks  a miserable  cow- 
ardice. Men  will  face  powder  and  steel  because  they 
cannot  face  public  opinion.  An  officer  rode  up  to  a 
battery  of  canon,  who,  observing  another  officer  at  his 
side,  looking  pale,  turned  in  his  saddle  to  accost  him, 
saying,  “You  are  afraid!”  “True,”  replied  his  com- 
rade, “and  were  you  as  much  afraid  as  I am  you  would 
turn  tail!”  There  have  been  men  like  John  the 


MORAL  COURAGE. 


259 


Baptist,  who  could  speak  the  truth  which  had  made 
their  own  spirits  free,  with  the  axe  above  their  neck. 
There  have  been  men,  redeemed  in  their  inmost  being 
by  Christ,  on  whom  tyrants  and  mobs  have  done  their 
worst,  and  who  when,  like  Stephen,  the  stones  crashed 
in  upon  their  brain,  or  when  their  flesh  hissed  and 
crackled  in  the  flames,  were  calmly  superior  to  it  all. 
The  power  of  evil  had  laid  its  shackles  on  the  flesh, 
but  the  mind  and  the  soul  and  the  heart  were  free. 

Soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  bloody  reign  of 
Mary,  in  England,  an  officer  was  sent  to  bring  Bishop 
Latimer  to  London,  of  which  he  had  notice  six  hours 
before  he  arrived.  Instead  of  fleeing,  he  prepared  for 
his  journey  to  London;  and,  when  the  officer  arrived, 
he  said  to  him,  “ My  friend,  you  are  welcome.  I go  as 
willingly  to  London,  to  give  an  account  of  my  faith,  as 
ever  I went  to  any  place  in  the  world.  And  I doubt 
not,  but  as  the  Lord  made  me  worthy  formerly  to 
preach  the  word  before  two  excellent  princes,  he  will 
now  enable  me  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth  before  the 
third,  either  to  her  eternal  comfort  or  discomfort.”  As 
he  rode  on  this  occasion  through  Smithfield,  he 
remarked  “that  Smithfield  had  groaned  for  him  a long- 
time.” 

When  the  executioner  went  behind  Jerome  of 
Prague  to  set  fire  to  the  pile,  “ Come  here,”  said  the 
martyr,  “ and  kindle  it  before  mine  eyes ; for  if  I 
dreaded  such  a sight,  I should  never  have  come  to  this 
place  when  I had  a free  opportunity  to  escape.”  The 
fire  was  kindled,  and  he  then  sang  a hymn,  which  was 
soon  finished  by  the  encircling  flames.  Algerius,  an 


26o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Italian  martyr,  thus  wrote  from  his  prison  a little  be- 
fore his  death : “ Who  would  believe  that  in  this  dun- 
geon I should  find  a paradise  so  pleasant ; in  a place 
of  sorrow  and  death,  tranquillity,  and  hope,  and  life ; 
where  others  weep,  I rejoice.”  Wishart,  when  in  the 
fire  which  removed  him  from  the  world,  exclaimed, 
“The  flame  doth  torment  my  body,  but  no  whit  abates- 
my  spirits.” 

About  1 645  Dr.  Harris,  minister  of  Hanwell,  Eng- 
land, frequently  had  military  officers  quartered  at  his 
house.  A party  of  them  indulged  much  in  swearing. 
The  doctor  noticed  this,  and  on  the  following  Sabbath 
preached  from  these  words:  “Above  all  things,  my 
brethren,  swear  not.”  This  so  enraged  the  soldiers, 
who  judged  the  sermon  was  intended  for  them,  that 
they  swore  they  would  shoot  him  if  he  preached  on  the 
subject  again.  He  was  not  to  be  intimidated,  and  on 
the  following  Sabbath  he  preached  from  the  same 
text,  and  inveighed  in  still  stronger  terms  against  the 
vice  of  profanity.  As  he  was  preaching,  a soldier 
leveled  his  carbine  at  him,  but  he  went  on  to  the  con- 
clusion without  the  slightest  hesitation. 

The  age  of  martyrdom,  like  that  of  miracles,  is 
passed.  We  are  not  shot  or  pinned  to  a stake,  or 
broken  alive  on  the  wheel,  as  in  bygone  days;  and  yet 
we  suffer  by  isolation,  by  misrepresentation,  by  ridicule, 
and  by  blame.  Courage  is  as  necessary  as  ever  for 
those  who  would  hold  by  the  innate  consciousness  of 
the  truth.  It  is  even  more  difficult,  in  these  days  of 
indifferentism,  to  keep  true  to  higher  laws  and  purer 
instincts,  than  it  was  in  the  times  of  martyrdom. 


FIDELITY. 


26l 


•"‘Active  persecution  and  fierce  chastisements,”  says  a 
well-known  writer,  “are  tonics  to  the  nerves;  but  the 
mere  weary  conviction  that  no  one  cares,  that  no  one 
notices,  that  there  is  no  humanity  that  honors,  and  no 
Deity  that  pities,  is  more  destructive  of  all  higher 
■effort  than  any  conflict  with  tyranny  or  with  barbarism.” 

Fidelity. 

“ Honor  and  shame  from  no  condition  rise : 

Act  well  your  part;  there  all  the  honor  lies. 

Work  makes  the  man;  the  want  of  it  the  fellow, 

And  all  the  rest  is  leather  and  prunella.” 

Faithfulness  to  the  measure  of  our  ability  is 
rewarded  by  a larger  opportunity.  He  that  is  faithful 
in  little  is  promoted  to  a wider  sphere.  It  is  the  way 
of  nature.  The  man  who  is  always  whining  over  the 
limits  of  his  lot  will  never  do  anything  in  the  world. 
The  woman  whose  pride  is  wounded  because  she  has 
only  one  talent  while  another  has  two,  will  be  sure  to 
bury  hers  in  the  earth. 

They  who  shoot  up  with  sudden,  rocket-like  im- 
petuosity usually  burst  ere  long,  and  die  out  into 
darkness;  but  they  who  have  started  by  doing  their 
nearest  duty  faithfully  have  risen  through  that  open 
door  into  something  nobler,  and  through  that  again  to 
something  higher  still,  until  they  have  reached  a posi- 
tion of  intrinsic  power  from  which  no  human  hands 
could  push  them.  The  power  of  a steady  fidelity  is 
resistless. 


262 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


When  a Socrates  is  put  to  death,  wisdom  and  truth 
seem  to  suffer ; and  when  an  Aristides  is  exiled,  jus- 
tice appears  to  be  in  disgrace.  But  virtue  is  its  own 
reward,  and  depends  not  on  the  fluctuating  opinions  of 
mortals,  nor  on  the  breath  of  popular  applause,  which 
is  often  on  the  side  of  error,  and  entirely  opposite  to 
the  real  interests  of  its  votaries. 

Are  not  difficulty  and  suffering  necessary  to  evoke 
the  highest  forms  of  character,  energy,  and  genius  ? 
Effort  and  endurance,  striving  and  submitting,  energy 
and  patience,  enter  into  every  destiny.  There  is  a 
virtue  in  passive  endurance  which  is  often  greater 
than  the  glory  of  success.  It  bears,  it  suffers,  it  en- 
dures, and  still  it  hopes.  It  meets  difficulties  with  a 
smile,  and  strives  to  stand  erect  beneath  the  heaviest 
burdens.  Suffering,  patiently  and  enduringly  borne, 
is  one  of  the  noblest  attributes  of  man.  There  is 
something  so  noble  in  the  quality  as  to  lift  it  into  the 
highest  regions  of  heroism.  It  was  a saying  of  Milton, 
“Who  best  can  suffer,  best  can  do.” 

Do  the  best  you  can  where  you  are,  and  when  that 
is  done  you  will  see  an  opening  for  something  better. 
This  is  good  advice  for  numberless  unquiet  individ- 
uals. The  hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich. 

“Sir,”  said  the  Duke  of  Wellington  to  an  officer  of 
engineers,  who  urged  the  impossibility  of  executing 
the  directions  he  had  received,  “ I did  not  ask  your 
opinion,  I gave  you  my  orders,  and  I expect  them  to 
be  obeyed.”  Such  should  be  the  obedience  of  every 
follower  of  Jesus.  The  words  which  he  has  spoken 


FIDELITY.  263 

are  our  law,  not  our  judgments  or  fancies.  Even  if 
death  were  in  the  way,  it  is 

“ Not  ours  to  reason  why — 

Ours  but  to  dare  and  die.” 

Very  beautiful  is  the  legend  preserved  by  some 
old  author,  of  the  monk,  to  whom  there  appeared  while 
at  prayer  in  his  cell,  a glorious  vision  of  his  Saviour.  In 
silent  and  adoring  rapture  he  gazed  upon  the  glorious 
presence.  While  he  gazed,  the  hour  arrived  at  which  it 
was  his  duty  to  feed  the  poor  who  came  to  the  convent 
gate  for  their  bread.  The  bell  rang  calling  the  monk  to 
his  humble  duty.  How  he  longed  to  stay  ! But  linger- 
ing not  to  enjoy  the  vision,  he  went  his  way  to  the 
lowly  work  of  dividing  bread  among  the  poor  beggars 
at  the  ofate.  When  he  returned  he  found  the  blessed 
vision  still  waiting  for  him.  As  he  looked  again  he 
heard  these  words  ; “ Hadst  thou  stayed,  I must  have 
fled  ” ! 

My  sister,  a woman  of  your  ability  and  culture 
might  grace  earth’s  highest  salons , and  your  beauty 
properly  arrayed  would  adorn  a palace.  But  God  has 
put  you  in  a humble  home,  and  given  you  a needle  for 
your  equipment.  Do  not,  therefore,  stitch  a complaint 
and  a story  of  former  wealth  into  every  seam.  Show 
your  ability  by  the  excellence  of  your  work.  If  we 
are  not  superior  in  little  things,  we  would  not  be 
superior  in  the  great  things  'of  which  we  dream  our- 
selves capable.  In  nothing  is  true  ability — not  a mere 
ham  pretense  of  talent — shown  more  clearly  than  in 
doing  thoroughly  whatever  comes  to  hand,  be  it  small 
or  great.  When  we  admire  the  depth  and  accuracy 


264 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  Mary  Somerville’s  mind,  as  shown  in  her  writings, 
we  are  prepared  to  believe  what  is  said  of  her  excel- 
lence as  a cook.  Such  a woman,  if  she  cooked  at  all, 
would  be  sure  to  excel  as  a cook  all  her  inferior  sis- 
ters, showing  her  superiority  there  as  clearly  as  in 
mathematics.  There  is  no  surer  sign  of  mental  shal- 
lowness than  doing  any  work  slightingly. 

My  brother,  you  may  have  education  and  ability  suf- 
ficient to  govern  a nation,  but  there  is  nothing  within 
your  reach  save  a plough-handle.  Very  well,  your 
talent  need  not  be  wasted  even  there.  Show  your 
ability  by  making  a better  ploughman  than  the  igno- 
rant fellow  by  your  side,  and  do  your  work  as  unto 
God,  and  not  unto  men.  Make  your  education  tell  in 
your  ploughing. 

But  while  I would  have  you  do  cheerfully  and  with 
your  might  whatever  lowly  work  lies  at  hand,  without 
murmuring  that  it  is  beneath  you  or  unworthy  of  your 
talents  and  education,  I would  also  guard  you  against 
thinking  it  is  right  to  do  the  lesser  when  the  greater 
work  awaits  your  hands.  You  must  not  hoe  cabbages 
with  Domitian  when  an  empire  needs  you  as  a ruler. 

What  a happy  world  this  would  be  if  men  only 
learned  that  lesson,  and  the  anxiety  and  effort  now  ex- 
pended in  “getting  on  in  the  world”  were  expended 
in  fighting  the  evils  of  the  world  and  the  sins  of  our 
own  hearts.  Strength  wasted  in  vain  beating  against 
the  bars  of  circumstances  which  surround  us,  would 
tell  in  conflict  with  the  enemy  of  souls.  Perhaps  you 
think  you  could  do  more  for  Christ  and  humanity  if 
your  talents  had  a wider  sphere.  Precisely — Satan 


FIDELITY. 


265 


never  tempts  more  dangerously  than  when  he  puts  on 
a zeal  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  Under  that  plea  lurk 
often  ambition,  pride,  vanity,  and  a host  of  sins  which 
God  detests.  Remember  God  knows  what  is  best  for 
the  cause  of  Christ  far  better  than  you  do,  and  he  has 
that  cause  far  nearer  at  heart  than  you  have. 

Samuel  Smiles  relates  the  following  instances  of 
canine  fidelity : 

“Sir  Walter  Scott,  in  his  journal,  relates  the  story 
of  a dog  that  saved  its  master  from  being  burned  alive. 

* Lord  R.  Kerr,’  he  says,  ‘ told  us  he  had  a letter  from 
Lord  Forbes  (son  of  Earl  Granard,  Ireland),  that  he 
was  asleep  in  his  house  at  Castle  Forbes,  when  awak- 
ened by  a sense  of  suffocation,  which  deprived  him  of 
the  power  of  stirring  a limb,  yet  left  him  the  conscious- 
ness that  the  house  was  on  fire.  At  this  moment,  and 
while  his  apartment  was  in  flames,  his  large  dog 
jumped  on  the  bed,  seized  his  shirt,  and  dragged  him 
to  the  staircase,  where  the  fresh  air  restored  his  powers 
of  resistance  and  of  escape.’  This  is  very  different 
from  most  cases  of  preservation  by  the  canine  race, 
when  the  animal  generally  jumps  into  the  water,  in 
which  element  he  has  force  and  skill.  That  of  fire  is 
as  hostile  to  him  as  to  mankind. 

“ And  lastly,  there  are  the  dogs  of  Pompeii  and 
Herculaneum.  The  cast  of  the  former  is  taken  from 
the  ash  cavity  in  which  he  was  discovered.  He  died  of 
suffocation  and  agony.  But,  like  the  sentinel,  he 
never  left  his  post.  The  Herculaneum  dog  Delta  has 
left  behind  him  a wonderful  record  of  valor.  In  the 
disinterment  of  the  buried  city,  his  skeleton  was  found 


266 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


stretched  over  that  of  a boy  of  about  twelve  years  old, 
most  probably  clasping  his  charge  to  prevent  his  being 
suffocated  or  burned.  The  boy  perished  as  well  as 
the  faithful  Delta,  but  a collar  remains  to  tell  of  the 
noble  courage  of  the  clog.  It  relates  that  he  had  three 
times  saved  the  life  of  his  master — from  the  sea,  from 
robbers,  aud  from  wolves.”  If  there  is  such  a spirit  of 
fidelity  to  duty  to  be  found  in  poor  brutes,  how  much 
more  ought  human  beings  to  cultivate  this  quality  ? 

The  great  battle  fields  of  the  world  are  in  the 
hearts  of  men.  The  great  struggles  are  within.  A 
soul  once  committed  to  God  and  His  cause  finds  in  its 
fierce  fights  a field  of  glory,  where  grand  victories  may 
be  won  and  sweet  peace  be  found.  The  soul,  really 
grand,  is  only  tested  in  its  fidelity.  As  we  know  the 
true  weight  of  the  intellect  by  the  rich  resources  and 
patient  strength  with  which  it  redeems  a failure,  so  do 
we  prove  the  salvation  of  the  soul  by  its  courageous  re- 
turn into  licrht — its  instinctive  rebound  after  some 

o 

error  that  has  darkened  its  vision  and  soiled  its 
plumes. 

Every  wakeful  moment  should  be  usefully  employed. 
God  lends  them  to  us.  He  will  call  us  to  a strict 
account  for  their  usage.  They  have  wings  that  waft 
their  own  record  of  our  use  of  them  on  high.  When 
once  passed,  they  will  never  return  to  us.  But  their 
misuse  will  come  back  to  us  with  fearful  condemna- 
tion by-and-by,  or  their  right  employment  shall  add 
stars  to  our  crown  of  rejoicing  forevermore. 

Never  believe  ill  of  a friend;  if  you  hear  anything 
that  concerns  you,  go  to  him  in  kindness ; doubtless 


FIDELITY. 


267 


the  matter  can  be  explained  to  your  mutual  satisfac- 
tion. It  is  an  old  adage,  “ Stories  never  lose  by  travel- 
ing,” and  evil-minded  or  thoughtless  persons  may  do 
much  harm  by  exaggeration  and  repetition. 

Never  make  a promise  rashly;  but  if  once  made, 
let  no  pleasure,  no  feeling  of  indolence,  tempt  you  for 
one  moment  to  break  it.  Let  no  one  ever  be  able  to 
say,  in  speaking  of  the  word  which  you  had  given,  but 
not  kept,  “Something  has  gone  wrong,  indeed,  and  I 
will  never  trust  him  again  ! ” “He  who  betrays  an- 
other’s secret  because  he  has  quarreled  with  him,  was 
never  worthy  of  the  name  of  friend  ; a breach  of  kind- 
ness will  not  justify  a breach  of  trust.” 

It  is  a good  thing  to  be  stable-minded,  for  a 
double-minded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways.  To  be 
“of  one  opinion  at  one  time,  and  another  soon  after, 
and  to  be  continually  changing,  is  not  wise.  There 
are  times  when  it  is  wisdom  to  change  our  opinions; 
when  we  are  convinced  that  we  are  wrong,  or  that 
there  is  a better  way,  it  would  be  unwise  to  hold  to  them ; 
but  those  changeable-minded  persons,  who  advocate  a 
thing  at  one  time  and  oppose  it  at  another — those 
people  whose  mind  changes  so  often  that  you  never 
know  where  to  find  them,  are  not  to  be  depended 
upon,  and,  therefore,  do  not  amount  to  much. 

“ A woman’s  memory  saved  me  from  much  temp- 
tation,” wrote  one  who  had  lived  a wild  life  in  a wild 
land.  “ Not  one  of  my  own  people  ever  knew  her ; 
she  was  dead  before  I left  home.  But  there  were 
some  things  that  might  otherwise  have  been  too  much 
for  me,  that  I was  quite  safe  from,  just  because  I had 


2 68 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


loved  her.  I never  felt  that  I had  in  any  way  lost  her 
love,  and  I could  not  go  with  it  in  my  heart  to  places 
where  I could  never  have  taken  her.  When  I felt 
a little  lonely  because  I could  not  join  those  who 
had  been  my  comrades,  I just  braced  up  my  heart 
with  the  thought,  1 for  her  sake.’  ” 

Dr.  Lamson  says,  “ Men  may  commend  me,  if  I 
yield  up  one  by  one,  the  sterner  features  of  revealed 
doctrine,  but  how  will  He  whose  doctrine  it  is  regard 
my  generosity?”  Our  path  is  to  be  upward  from  the 
start;  there  is  no  grade  downward  on  the  road  that 
leads  to  God.  He  calls  to  us  from  above.  It  is  a vain 
thought  to  flee  from  the  work  that  God  appoints  us, 
for  the  sake  of  finding  a greater  blessing  for  our  own 
souls,  as  if  we  could  choose  for  ourselves  where  we 
shall  find  the  fullness  of  the  divine  presence,  instead 
of  seeking  it  where  alone  it  is  to  be  found — in  loving 
obedience. 

Keep  your  conduct  abreast  of  your  conscience,  and 
very  soon  your  conscience  will  be  illuminated  by  the 
radiance  of  God.  Whitefield  and  a pious  companion 
were  much  annoyed  one  night  at  a public-house 
by  a set  of  gamblers  in  the  room  adjoining  where  they 
slept.  Their  noisy  clamor  and  horrid  blasphemy  so 
excited  Whitefield’s  abhorrence  and  pious  sympathy 
that  he  could  not  rest. 

“ I will  go  to  them  and  reprove  their  wickedness,” 
he  said. 

His  companion  remonstrated  in  vain.  He  went. 
His  words  of  reproof  fell  apparently  harmless  upon 


HEROES.  269 

them.  Returning,  he  lay  down  to  sleep.  His  com- 
panion asked  him  rather  abruptly: 

“ What  did  you  gain  by  it  ? ” 

“A  soft  pillow,”  he  said  patiently,  and  soon  fell 
asleep. 

Yes,  a soft  pillow  is  the  reward  of  fidelity,  the 
companion  of  a clear  conscience.  It  is  sufficient  re- 
muneration for  doing  right  in  the  absence  of  all  other 
reward. 

F^ef^oes. 

“True  meekness  is  the  loftiest  heroism.” 

“ No  one  is  a hero  to  his  valet.” 

Madame  de  Sevigne. 

Heroism,  as  we  understand  it,  involves  courage  in 
combating  great  obstacles,  in  undergoing  great  dan- 
ger, and  in  bearing  great  burdens,  or  a cause  of 
adequate  moment,  a cause  which  involves  interests  that 
are  not  personal  or  selfish. 

This  heroism  is  not  seen  alone  or  chiefly  on  the 
battle-field.  With  the  advance  of  time,  there  is  an  in- 
definite multiplication  of  channels  in  which  true  hero- 
ism may  flow.  Humphrey  Davy  was  a hero,  when  he 
perilled  his  life  over  and  over  in  his  experiments  with 
gases.  The  members  of  the  medical  profession  have 
often  made  the  most  resplendent  exhibitions  of  hero- 
ism, in  their  self-forgetful  efforts  to  ascertain  the  causes 
of  disease  and  to  stay  its  ravages.  The  young  physi- 
cian was  a hero  who,  by  himself  alone,  dissected  the 


2 JO  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

corpse  of  a victim  of  the  yellow  fever,  knowing  that 
the  penalty  would  be  his  life.  Literature  has  had  its 
heroes,  who,  inflamed  with  a generous  love  of  knowl- 
edge and  culture,  have  braved  penury  and  hunger 
that  they  might  enlarge  their  minds,  and  commune 
with  the  great  souls  of  the  past. 

But  it  is  hardly  needful  to  say  that  no  history  is  so 
rich  in  the  names  of  heroes  as  the  history  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  men  to  whom,  under  God,  is  due  the 
progress  of  true  religion,  have  been  heroes ; . they  have 
been  men  who,  against  great  odds  and  great  diffi- 
culties, have  struggled  and  suffered  in  behalf  of  the 
noblest  of  causes. 

True  courage  is  cool  and  calm.  The  bravest  of 
men  have  the  least  of  a brutal,  bullying  insolence,  and 
in  the  very  time  of  danger,  are  found  the  most  serene 
and  free. 

The  list  of  Christian  Heroes  includes  the  names  of 
such  men  as  Henry  Martin,  who  left  England  and  a 
tenderly  beloved  companion  to  bury  himself  amidst 
the  heathenism  of  India,  and  later  in  the  darkness  of 
Persia,  to  die  at  the  age  of  thirty-one,  a martyr  to  his 
self-forgetful  love  of  his  fellow-men.  William  Wilber- 
force  abandoned  a life  of  ease  and  well-earned  rest 
that  he  might  become  the  emancipator  of  the  negro 
race,  and  at  last  “ went  up  to  heaven,  carrying  a mill- 
ion broken  fetters  in  his  hands.” 

Richard  Baxter,  battling  with  life-long  sickness  and 
feebleness,  yet  laboring  with  pen  and  voice  so  ar- 
duously that  one  is  almost  oppressed  with  the  list  of  his 
writings,  each  of  them  a masterpiece,  the  object  of  the 


HEROES. 


271 


hatred  and  persecution  of  magistrate  and  prelate  dur- 
ing the  most  degrading  period  of  English  history,  the 
reign  of  James  II,  yet  leaves  behind  him  a great  track 
of  lig-ht  which  has  not  ceased  to  illumine  the  world. 

Then  there  was  John  Knox,  a man  as  courageous 
as  Nelson,  as  firm  as  Wellington,  “never  fearing  the 
face  of  flesh,”  and  equally  insensible  to  blandishment, 
moved  neither  by  the  honeyed  words  of  Mary  nor  by 
the  spears  of  her  squadrons,  knowing  only  one  thing, 
desiring  only  one  thing,  the  answer  to  his  prayer: 
“ Give  me  Scotland,  or  I die,”  and  writing  his  own 
character  in  letters  of  light  on  all  the  subsequent  his- 
tory of  the  land. 

William  Carey,  a cobbler,  in  depths  of  poverty,  with 
a half  insane  wife,  with  no  brilliant  genius,  and  yet  who 
formed  and  founded  the  plan  of  Modern  Christian 
Missions  to  the  Heathen,  and  carried  the  work  into 
execution,  although  opposed  by  the  British  Govern- 
ment and  East  India  Company,  and  embarked  for  India 
on  an  undertaking  that  to  human  eyes  was  absolute 
madness. 

Robert  Hall,  combating  all  his  life  with  the  most 
torturing  disease,  suffering  so  intensely  from  calculi  in 
the  kidneys  that  he  said  life  was  a burden  and  torment, 
despised  as  a dissenter,  suffering  social  ostracism,  and 
yet  forcing  his  way  to  recognition  as  the  first  of 
Christian  orators. 

A wonderful  instance  of  heroic  action  was  that  of 
Captain  Strachan  of  the  steamer  Cyprian,  wrecked  off 
the  Welsh  coast.  Just  as  the  captain  was  ready  to 
jump  from  the  wreck  with  his  life-preserver  on,  he  saw 


272 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


a little  stowaway,  who  crawled  from  the  hold  of  the 
vessel  and  begged  to  be  saved.  The  captain  immedi- 
ately took  off  his  life-preserver  and  tied  it  upon  the  lad, 
and  together  they  were  washed  into  the  sea.  The  boy 
reached  the  shore  alive,  but  the  captain  was  drowned. 

General  Kershaw,  of  South  Carolina,  has  recently 
published  a touching  narrative  of  the  bravery  and  hu- 
manity of  Sergeant  Richard  Kirkland,  a soldier  of  his 
brigade,  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  in  1862.  The 
day  after  that  sanguinary  battle,  the  ground  between 
the  two  opposing  lines  was  covered  with  the  wounded, 
dying  and  dead  soldiers  of  the  Union  army,  and  any 
one  who  needlessly  exposed  himself  but  for  a moment 
was  sure  to  fall  by  a fatal  bullet. 

All  that  day  those  wounded  men  rent  the  air  with 
their  groans  and  their  agonizing  cries  of  “Water! 
water ! ” In  the  afternoon  the  general  sat  surveying 
the  field,  when  Kirkland  came  up.  With  an  expres- 
sion of  indignant  remonstrance  pervading  his  person, 
his  manner  and  the  tones  of  his  voice,  he  said,  “ Gen- 
eral, I can’t  stand  this.”  “ What  is  the  matter, 
sergeant?  ” asked  the  general.  He  replied,  “All  night 
and  all  day  I have  heard  these  poor  people  crying  for 
water,  and  I can  stand  it  no  longer.  I come  to  ask 
permission  to  go  and  give  them  water.” 

The  general  regarded  him  for  a moment  with  feel- 
ings  of  profound  admiration,  and  said,  “ Kirkland, 
don’t  you  know  that  you  would  get  a bullet  through 
your  head  the  moment  you  stepped  over  the  wall?  ” 
“Yes,  sir,”  he  said,  “I  know  that;  but  if  you  will  let 
me,  I am  willing  to  try  it.” 


HEROES. 


2 73 


After  a pause  the  general  said,  “ Kirkland,  I ought 
not  to  allow  you  to  run  such  a risk,  but  the  sentiment 
which  actuates  you  is  so  noble  that  I will  not  refuse 
your  request,  trusting  that  God  may  protect  you.  You 
may  go.” 

The  sergeant’s  eyes  lighted  up  with  pleasure.  He 
said  “Thank  you,  sir,”  and  ran  rapidly  down  stairs. 
The  general  heard  him  pause  for  a moment,  and  then 
return,  bounding  two  steps  at  a time.  He  thought  the 
sergeant’s  heart  had  failed  him.  He  was  mistaken. 
The  sergeant  stopped  at  the  door  and  said,  “ General, 
can  I show  a white  handkerchief?”  The  general 
slowly  shook  his  head,  saying  emphatically,  “ No, 
Kirkland,  you  can’t  do  that.”  “ All  right  sir,”  he  said, 
“I’ll  take  the  chances,”  and  ran  down  with  a bright 
smile  on  his  handsome  countenance. 

With  a profound  anxiety  he  was  watched  as  he 
stepped  over  the  wall  on  his  errand  of  mercy — Christ- 
like  mercy.  Unharmed  he  reached  the  nearest  suf- 
ferer. He  knelt  beside  him,  tenderly  raised  the 
drooping  head,  rested  it  gently  upon  his  own  noble 
breast,  and  poured  the  precious,  life-giving  fluid  down 
the  fever-scorched  throat.  This  done,  he  laid  him 
tenderly  down,  placed  his  knapsack  under  his  head, 
straightened  out  his  broken  limb,  spread  his  overcoat 
over  him,  replaced  his  empty  canteen  with  a full  one, 
and  turned  to  another  sufferer.  By  this  time  his  pur- 
pose was  well  understood  on  both  sides,  and  all 
danger  was  over.  From  all  parts  of  the  field  arose 
fresh  cries  of  “Water,  water;  for  God’s  sake,  water!” 

More  piteous  still  the  mute  appeal  of  some  who  could 
18 


274 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


only  feebly  lift  a hand  to  say,  “ Here,  too,  is  life  and 
suffering.”  For  an  hour  and  a half  did  this  minister- 
ing angel  pursue  his  labor  of  mercy,  nor  cease  to  go 
and  return  until  he  relieved  all  the  wounded  on  that 
part  of  the  field.  He  returned  to  his  post  wholly  un- 
hurt. Who  shall  say  how  sweet  his  rest  that  winter’s 
night  beneath  the  cold  stars  ? 

But  there  are  heroes  who  never  saw  a battle-field, 
nor  heard  the  roar  of  cannon.  Says  a well-known 
author,  “ I confess  that  increasing  years  bring  with 
them  an  increasing  respect  for  men  who  do  not 
succeed  in  life,  as  those  words  are  commonly  used. 
Heaven  is  said  to  be  a place  for  those  who  have  not 
succeeded  upon  earth;  and  it  is  surely  true  celestial 
graces  do  not  best  thrive  and  bloom  in  the  hot  blaze  of 
worldly  prosperity.  Ill  success  sometimes  arises  from  a 
superabundance  of  qualities  in  themselves  good — from 
a conscience  too  sensitive,  a taste  too  fastidious,  a self- 
forgetfulness  too  romantic,  a modesty  too  retiring.  I 
will  not  go  so  far  as  to  say,  with  a living  poet,  that  ‘ the 
world  knows  nothing  of  its  greatest  men,’  but  there  are 
forms  of  greatness,  or  at  least  excellence,  which  ‘die 
and  make  no  sign’;  there  are  martyrs  that  miss  the 
plan  but  not  the  stake;  heroes  without  the  laurel,  and 
conquerors  without  the  triumph.” 


KEEP  COOL. 


275 


I^EEP  @OOIi. 

“Take  things  cool,”  is  perhaps  as  good  a motto 
as  can  be  adopted.  It  is  never  good  to  be  excited ; 
no  possible  benefit  can  be  derived  from  it,  as  it  always 
is  an  excess  going  beyond  due  bounds.  It  simply 
means  too  much.  The  cool  man  sees  things  in  the 
true  light.  Get  him  away  from  this,  and  he  is  at 
once  out  of  his  sphere.  The  great  workers  of  the 
world  are  those  who  abide  by  the  facts,  and  carry  them 
out — not  exaggerate  or  distort  them.  Nature  is 
always  right ; she  never  oversteps  her  bounds,  and 
hence  she  is  always  true  and  successful.  Let  a man 
be  beyond  this,  and  he  is  apt  to  be  flighty  or  unsuc- 
cessful. Trust  to  coolness,  to  the  truth  of  things.  Not 
that  ardor  should  be  dispensed  with — that  ardor  which 
sees  things  but  the  more  clearly;  but  let  it  go  no  far- 
ther. Excitement  has  done  immense  harm  in  the 
world,  and  is  doing  it  daily — for  we  are  an  excitable 
world.  It  is  our  intemperance,  mentally;  and  intem- 
perance of  the  mind  is  as  bad  as  that  of  the  body,  and 
often  leads  to  wreck,  as  does  the  body.  Insanity  is 
one  of  its  common  fruits.  Abuse  is  another — in  fact, 
is  the  same.  A judicious  course  is  always  the  thing  if 
we  could  but  keep  within  temperate  bounds. 

Don’t  be  in  a hurry.  It’s  no  sort  of  use.  We 
never  knew  a man  who  was  always  in  a hurry  that 
wasn’t  always  behindhand.  They  are  proverbial  all 
over  the  world  for  bringing  nothing  to  pass.  Hurry, 


276 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


skurry,  bluster — what  does  it  all  amount  to?  Not  a 
straw.  If  you  want  to  accomplish  anything  as  it  should 
be  done,  you  must  go  about  it  coolly,  moderately, 
faithfully,  heartily.  Hurrying,  fretting,  fuming,  splut- 
tering, will  do  no  good — not  in  the  least.  Are  great 
works  of  great  men  done  in  a hurry?  Not  at  all. 
They  are  the  produce  of  time  and  patience — the 
result  of  slow,  solid  development.  Nothing  ought  to 
be  done  in  a hurry.  It  is  contrary  to  nature,  reason, 
right,  justice  and  common  sense.  Your  man  of  hurry 
is  no  sort  of  character  at  all.  Always  in  confusion, 
loose  at  every  point,  unhinged  and  unjointed,  blowing 
and  puffing  here  and  there,  but  all  ending  in  smoke. 

It  is  not  work  that  kills  men,  it  is  worry.  Work 
is  healthy ; you  can  hardly  put  more  upon  a man 
than  he  can  bear.  Worry  is  rust  upon  the  blade. 
It  is  not  the  revolution  that  destroys  the  machinery, 
but  the  friction.  Fear  secretes  acids,  but  love  and  trust 
are  sweet  juices.  Anxiety  is  the  poison  of  life,  the 
parent  of  many  sins,  and  of  more  miseries.  Why, 
then,  allow  it,  when  we  know  that  all  the  future  is 
guided  by  a Father’s  hand.  The  chief  secret  of  com- 
fort lies  in  not  suffering  trifles  to  vex  us,  and  in  pru- 
dently cultivating  our  undergrowth  of  small  pleasures, 
since  very  few  great  ones  are  let  on  long  leases. 
Vainglorious  men  are  never  happy.  They  cannot  en- 
joy the  small  pleasures  of  life.  They  are  the  scorn  of 
wise  men,  and  admiration  of  fools,  the  idols  of  para- 
sites, and  the  slaves  of  their  own  vaunts. 

Dr.  Payson,  when  interrupted  by  calls  in  busy  mo- 
ments, or  when  he  would  not  have- desired  them,  found 


KEEP  COOL. 


2 77 


relief  in  the  thought,  which  he  often  expressed,  “ The 
man  who  wants  me  is  the  man  I want.”  Be  thou  like 
the  bird  perched  upon  some  frail  thing,  although  he 
feels  the  branch  bending  beneath  him,  yet  loudly  sings 
knowing  full  well  that  he  has  wings.  It  has  been  well 
said  that  no  man  ever  sank  under  the  burden  of  the 
day.  It  is  when  to-morrrow’s  burden  is  added  to  the 
burden  of  to-day  that  the  weight  is  more  than  a man 
can  bear. 

Success  is  always  invigorating,  but  to  truly  great 
minds  never  intoxicating.  Only  light  fabrics  are 
puffed  up  by  a breath.  If  you  allow  yourself  to  be 
elated  by  temporary  or  continued  success,  you  lose  the 
well-balanced  mind  necessary  for  an  ultimate  triumph. 
If  you  are  a wise  man  you  will  treat  the  world  as  the 
moon  treats  it.  Show  it  only  one  side  of  yourself, 
seldom  show  yourself  too  much  at  a time,  and  let  what 
you  show  be  calm,  cool  and  polished.  But  look  at 
every  side  of  the  world.  Keep  cool  and  you  command 
everybody. 

During  the  height  of  the  so-called  “Jingo”  excite- 
ment, when  men,  and  more  especially  women,  were 
almost  unendurable  on  account  of  their  political  vehe- 
mence, Lord  Beaconsfield  was,  apparently  at  least, 
perfectly  calm.  Seated  at  dinner  by  the  side  of  an 
illustrious  lady,  he  was  asked  in  tones  full  of  feminine 
petulance  ; “ What  are  you  waiting  for  ? What  are 
you  waiting  for  ? ” — the  implication  being,  amazement 
that  he  did  not  hurl  England  into  a war  against  Rus- 
sia.  “Waiting?”  said  he;  “I  am  waiting  for  some 
roast  mutton  and  potatoes.” 


278 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


If  you  would  enjoy  your  meals,  be  good  natured. 
An  angry  man  cannot  tell  whether  he  is  eating  boiled 
cabbage  or  stewed  umbrellas.  If  you  care  for  your 
good  looks,  and  wish  to  keep  them,  don’t  fret.  A 
habit  of  continual  fretting  over  the  little  thing's  will 
mar  in  time  the  handsomest  face  ever  made.  A joyful 
evening  may  follow  a sorrowful  morning.  Some  one 
has  truly  said,  “Every  to-morrow  has  two  handles. 
We  can  take  hold  of  it  by  the  handle  of  anxiety  or  the 
handle  of  faith.” 

Let  men  laugh  when  you  sacrifice  desire  to  duty, 
if  they  will.  You  have  time  and  eternity  to  rejoice  in. 
Adversity  borrows  its  sharpest  sting  from  impatience. 
Think  twice  before  you  let  slip  words  that  you  know 
will  hurt.  It  is  easier  to  keep  them  from  being 
spoken  than  to  remove  the  sting  and  efface  the  wound 
afterwards.  Many  a bitter  word  would  never  have 
found  existence,  if  the  one  speaking  it  had  thought 
twice  before  doing  so.  With  some  men,  however, 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  keeping  cool.  Goldsmith 
said  of  Dr.  Johnson,  “There  is  no  arguing  with 
Johnson  ; for  if  his  pistol  misses  fire  he  knocks  you 
down  with  the  butt  end  of  it.” 

Be  systematic.  It  is  one  condition  of  success.  If 
you  get  at  loose  ends  you  will  soon  ravel  out.  If  the 
screws  and  bolts  of  your  engine  are  loose,  you  will 
soon  rattle  it  to  pieces.  And  the  faster  you  go  the 
sooner  it  is  done.  But  don’t  turn  the  screws  too 
tight,  you  may  break  something.  Genuine  system  is 
an  easy-going  thing.  Like  well-made,  well-oiled 
machinery,  it  runs  with  little  noise.  If  what  you  call 


KEEP  COOL. 


279 


system  makes  a noise,  or  heats  the  axles,  it  is  some- 
thing else.  True  system  prevents  and  reduces 
friction ; the  counterfeit  develops  it.  Happy  is  he 
whose  system  makes  things  go  easily  instead  of 
roughly. 

A gentleman  living  in  the  East  Indies  had  a tamed 
tiger.  One  day  as  it  crouched  by  his  side  it  began 
licking  the  back  of  his  hand,  while  he  was  absorbed  in 
his  book.  A low  growl  from  the  beast  caused  him  to 
turn  and  raise  his  hand.  It  was  covered  with  blood. 
A fierce  gleam  from  the  eyes  of  the  tiger  warned  him 
that  his  life  was  in  danger.  With  great  coolness  he 
put  down  his  hand  again  and  began  calling  to  his 
native  servant,  who  soon  came  and  shot  the  now  ex- 
cited beast.  “The  smell  of  blood  is  too  strong  for  the 
tamed  tiger.” 

« But  the  same  quality  is  sometimes  displayed  amid 
the  fire  of  shot  and  shell.  At  the  siege  of  Cadiz  by 
the  French  in  1812,  men  and  women  were  killed  in 
the  streets,  at  the  windows,  and  in  the  recesses  of 
their  houses.  When  a shell  was  thrown  by  the 
enemy,  a single  toll  of  the  great  bell  was  the  signal 
for  the  inhabitants  to  be  on  their  guard.  One  day  a 
solemn  toll  was  heard  in  signal  of  a shell.  That  very 
shell  fell  furiously  on  the  bell  and  shivered  it  to  atoms. 
The  monk  whose  duty  it  was  to  souiH  it,  went  very 
coolly  and  tolled  the  other  bell.  The  good  man  had 
conquered  the  fear  of  death. 

In  the  American  Iron  Works  at  Pittsburg,  an  iron- 
roller,  named  Robert  Moore,  had  a white-hot  ring  of 
iron  thrown  by  accident  over  his  head  and  down  on 


280 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


his  shoulders.  With  wonderful  nerve,  he  took  hold 
with  a pair  of  tongs  of  a piece  of  iron  protruding  from 
one  side  of  the  fiery  circle,  and  seized  the  other  side  of 
the  ring  with  his  naked  hand.  The  ring  was  a pretty 
tight  fit,  there  not  being  quiet  an  inch  and  a half  to 
spare  as  it  passed  over  his  nose.  The  man  had  the 
fortitude  to  lift  the  hot  iron  slowly  and  carefully  over  his 
head,  without  touching  any  part  of  it.  His  face  was 
badly  scorched,  and  his  hand  was  burnt  to  the  bone  ; 
but  he  never  flinched.  When  the  iron  band  was  cold, 
he  put  it  back  on  his  neck,  and  found  it  just  two  inches 
larger  round  than  his  head. 


©HONING  BOINWS. 


Once  to  every  man  and  nation  comes  the  moment  to  decide 
In  the  strife  of  truth  and  falsehood  for  the  good  or  evil  side. 

There  is  a tide  in  the  affairs  of  men, 

Which  taken  at  the  flood  leads  on  to  fortune ; 

Omitted,  all  the  voyage  of  their  life 
Is  bound  in  shallows  and  in  miseries. 

No  one  who  has  read  biography  with  carefulness 
has  failed  to  see  certain  little  things,  especially  in  the 
lives  of  great  men,  which  have  turned  them  away  from 
ignorance,  or  idleness,  or  error,  to  a life  distinguished 
for  its  intelligence  and  earnestness.  Sometimes  the 
turning  point  is  in  early  life.  It  is  said  of  Voltaire 
that  at  the  age  of  five  years  he  committed  to  memory 
an  infidel  poem,  and  was  never  after  that  able  to  free 
himself  from  its  pernicious  influence. 


TURNING  POINTS. 


28l 


William  Wilberforce,  when  a child,  was  placed 
under  the  training  of  a pious  aunt;  and  although 
much  was  done  in  his  early  manhood  to  erase  the  im- 
pressions received  from  his  aunt,  his  whole  life  was 
moulded  and  colored  by  that  same  training.  Hume 
was  quite  young  when  he  took  the  wrong  side  in  a 
debate,  and  embraced  and  defended  through  life  the 
position  taken  at  that  time.  Scott,  the  commentator, 
in  a despairing  mood,  read  a hymn  of  Dr.  Watts  on 
the  all-seeing  God,  and  was  turned  from  his  sin  and 
idleness  to  a life  of  usefulness.  The  rebuke  of  his 
teacher  and  the  taunt  of  a schoolmate  aroused  Clarke, 
the  distinguished  divine,  who,  up  to  that  time,  was 
very  slow  in  attaining  knowledge. 

The  turning  point  in  Doddridge’s  life  was  when 
Clarke  took  him  under  his  care.  The  first  year  he 
made  great  progress  in  study,  and  soon  developed 
into  a man  of  learning  and  influence.  Aaron  Burr 
sought  spiritual  advice  in  a revival  at  college,  but  his 
counsellor  told  him  that  the  work  was  not  genuine. 
His  anxieties  were  dissipated,  and  from  that  time  his 
downward  career  has  been  dated.  Robert  Moffat,  the 
distinguished  missionary,  as  he  read  a placard  an- 
nouncing a missionary  meeting,  was  led  to  devote  his 
life  to  the  benefit  of  the  heathen.  Thus  it  is  that  char- 
acter and  years  of  usefulness  often  depend  on  one 
little  event  or  circumstance. 

The  sudden  darkness  occasioned  by  the  extinguish- 
ing of  a lamp  in  a lady’s  room  was  the  means  of  her 
conversion  recently  in  Switzerland.  She  had  long 
lived  only  for  the  world,  and  the  thought  of  her  sins 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


had  never  given  her  uneasiness.  One  night,  while 
alone  in  her  room,  she  saw  the  lamp  suddenly  go  out. 
Although  she  was  alone,  she  said  aloud  (thinking  only 
of  the  accident  which  left  her  in  the  dark),  “ There  is 
no  oil  in  the  lamp!”  The  words  thus  spoken  sounded 
in  her  ears  with  a new  sense.  She  recalled  the  para- 
ble of  the  five  foolish  virgins  who  had  no  oil,  and 
whose  lamps  had  gone  out  at  the  coming  of  the  Bride- 
groom; and  from  that  moment,  day  and  night,  that 
Word  of  God  remained  in  her  soul.  It  recurred  to  her 
constantly:  “No,  I have  no  oil  in  my  lamp!  My  God! 
what  will  become  of  me?  I have  not  Thy  grace  in  my 
heart!”  She  was  filled  with  fear,  began  to  pray,  and 
continued  in  prayer,  until  God  gave  her  peace  through 
believing  in  Christ. 

Rev.  Frederick  Arnold  thus  happily  illustrates  the 
difference  between  the  “Providence  that  shapes  our 
ends”  and  what  men  call  “luck”  and  “chance.” 
“What  we  call  the  ‘turning  point’  is  simply  ^an  occa- 
sion which  sums  up  and  brings  to  result  previous 
training.  Accidental  circumstances  are  nothing  except 
to  men  who  have  been  trained  to  take  advantage  of 
them.  Erskine  made  himself  famous  when  the  chance 
came  to  him  of  making  a great  forensic  display;  but 
unless  he  had  trained  himself  for  the  chance,  the 
chance  would  only  have  made  him  ridiculous.” 

There  is  a story  told  of  some  gentleman,  who,  on  a 
battlefield,  happened  to  bow  with  much  grace  to  some 
officer  who  addressed  him;  a cannon  ball  just  went 
through  his  hair,  and  took  off  the  head  of  one  behind 


TURNING  POINTS. 


283 


him.  The  officer,  when  he  saw  the  marvelous  escape, 
justly  observed  that  no  man  ever  lost  by  politeness. 

There  is  a man  in  Berkshire,  England,  who  has  a park 
with  a walled  frontage  of  seven  miles,  and  he  tells  of  a 
beautiful  little  operation  which  made  a nice  little  addi- 
tion to  his  fortune.  He  was  in  Australia  when  the 
first  discoveries  of  gold  were  made.  The  miners 
brought  in  their  nuggets  and  brought  them  to  the 
local  banks.  The  bankers  were  a little  nervous  about 
the  business,  uncertain  about  the  quality  of  the  gold, 
and  waited  to  see  its  character  established.  This 
man  had  a taste  for  natural  sciences  and  knew  some- 
thing about  metallurgy.  He  tried  each  test,  solid  and 
fluid,  satisfied  himself  of  the  quality  of  the  gold,  and 
then,  with  all  the  money  he  had  or  could  borrow,  he 
bought  as  much  gold  as  might  be,  and  showed,  as 
profit,  a hundred  thousand  pounds  in  the  course  of  a 
day  or  two.  His  “luck”  was  observation,  and  knowl- 
edge, and  a happy  tact  in  applying  them. 

The  late  Joseph  Hume  went  out  to  India,  and  while 
he  was  still  a young  man  he  accumulated  a consider- 
able fortune.  He  applied  himself  to  the  work  of 
mastering  the  native  languages,  and  turned  the 
knowledge  to  most  profitable  account.  On  one  occa- 
sion, when  all  the  gunpowder  had  failed  the  British 
army,  he  succeeded  in  scraping  together  a large 
amount  of  the  necessary  material,  and  manufactured 
it  for  the  troops.  When  he  returned  to  England  he 
canvassed  with  so  much  ability  and  earnestness  for  a 
seat  in  the  East  India  directory,  that  he  might  carry 
out  his  scheme  of  reform,  that,  though  he  failed  to  get 


284 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  vote  of  a certain  large  proprietor  of  stock,  he  won 
his  daughter’s  heart,  and  made  a prosperous  marriage. 
And  marriage  is,  after  all,  the  luckiest  bit  of  luck, 
when  it  is  all  it  should  be. 

There  is,  then,  in  truth,  no  luck.  There  are  turn- 
ing points  in  life,  moments,  critical  moments,  that  are 
worth  more  than  years;  nevertheless  a great  occasion 
is  only  worth  to  a man  what  his  antecedents  have 
enabled  him  to  make  of  it,  and  our  business  in  life  is 
to  prepare  for  these  supreme  moments,  these  hours 
when  life  depends  on  the  decision  of  the  instant. 
Whatever  of  truth  is  veiled  under  the  popular  idea  of 
luck  and  chance  is,  rightly  considered,  an  incentive  to 
the  busiest  industry,  not  an  excuse  for  folded  hands 
and  idle  dreams. 

Dr.  Peddie  says,  “ Never  till  a man  feels  the  fires  of 
individuality  will  he  write  his  name  up  among  living 
forces.”  And  Charnock  tells  us,  “He  that  hath  many 
things  to  trust  to  is  in  suspense  which  he  should  take 
hold  of ; but  where  there  is  but  one  left,  with  what 
greediness  will  he  clasp  hold  of  that ! God  cuts  down 
worldly  props,  that  we  may  make  Him  our  stay.” 
What  may  seem  to  be  an  utter  failure  may  be  in  reality 
the  first  movement  to  ultimate  victory.  God  comes 
near  in  every  soul  crisis  to  shed  the  light  of  His  face 
upon  us.  Be  not  ashamed  to  confess  that  you  have 
been  in  the  wrong.  It  is  but  owning  what  you  need 
not  be  ashamed  of,  that  you  now  have  more  sense  than 
you  before  had  to  see  your  error,  and  more  grace  to 
forsake  it.  Worship  can  better  wait  than  reconciliation. 
Apology  and  restitution  are  sweeter  offerings  to  God 


TURNING  POINTS. 


285 


than  a lamb,  for  they  are  the  sacrifices  of  a broken 
and  a contrite  heart.  Certain  thoughts  are  prayers. 
There  are  moments  when,  whatever  be  the  attitude  of 
the  body,  the  soul  is  on  its  knees.  “ Moments  spent 
with  God  are  pearls  strung  for  eternity.” 

Nicholas  Biddle,  Esq.,  when  president  of  the  Bank 
of  the  United  States,  once  dismissed  a clerk  because 
the  latter  refused  to  write  for  him  on  the  Sabbath. 
The  young  man,  with  a mother  dependent  on  his  exer- 
tions, was  thus  thrown  out  of  employment  by  what  some 
would  call  an  over-nice  scruple  of  conscience.  But  a 
few  days  after,  Mr.  Biddle  being  requested  to  nominate 
a cashier  for  another  bank,  recommended  this  very  in- 
dividual, and  mentioned  this  very  incident  as  proof  of 
his  trustworthiness. 

“You  can  trust  him,”  said  he,  “ for  he  wouldn’t  work 
for  me  on  Sunday.” 

Says  Dr.  Cuyler,  “The  actual  working  period  of  a 
life  of  three-score  years  and  ten  is  very  short.  He 
who  has  not  learned  the  value  of  an  hour  is  doomed 
to  failure.  On  an  hour  often  swings  a destiny  for 
eternity.” 

There  are  occasions  where  victory  is  more  really 
perilous  than  a timely  defeat ; a temporary  triumph  may 
lead  to  ground  which  the  victors  cannot  permanently 
hold  to  their  own  true  and  lasting  advantage. 

Choice  is  the  supreme  prerogative  of  the  moral 
creation  as  distinguished  from  the  material,  and  a 
mighty  prerogative  it  is.  The  hugest  orb  in  space  can- 
not choose  to  loiter  an  instant  in  its  swift  rush,  or  to 


286 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


swerve  a hair’s-breadth  from  its  orbit,  but  the  little 
babe  that  has  just  learned  to  say  mamma  can  overturn 
the  throne  of  God  in  his  own  little  bosom. 


Such  suggestions  as  the  following  would  secure  a 
race  of  business  men  that  would  honor  the  land  that 
furnishes  them  so  noble  a theater  for  successful  enter- 
prise : Engage  in  no  business  inconsistent  with  the 

strictest  morality,  nor  in  which  you  cannot  daily  seek 
the  blessing  of  the  Most  High.  Follow  your  chosen 
vocation,  and  that  alone,  whatever  temptations  to  specu- 
lation or  rapid  acquisition  may  present  themselves. 
Adopt  no  “ tricks  of  trade,”  however  sanctioned  by 
custom,  that  involve  deception  or  untruthfulness. 
Never  incur  a debt  beyond  your  resources.  Always 
live  within  your  income.  Devote  a fixed  portion  of 
your  income,  beforehand,  to  charitable  uses,  to  be 
employed  and  accounted  for  as  systematically  as 
family  expenditures.  The  man  who  will  regulate  his 
business  by  such  simple  rules  as  these  may  free  him- 
self from  the  feverish  excitements  of  adventurous 
traffickers,  and  secure  himself,  with  God’s  blessing,  an 
honest  competency,  if  not  a benevolent  affluence,  and 
a good  name. 

We  seldom  look  clear  through  a man’s  career. 
We  seldom  follow  him  in  his  course  from  beginning  to 
end.  We  seldom  commence  at  the  point  where  he 


Business  (Qo^ality. 


BUSINESS  MORALITY. 


287 


began  to  let  down  conscience,  and  trace  his  decline 
through  its  various  stages  till  his  character  is  under- 
mined. Why,  two  thirds  of  the  men  that  break  down 
are  not  broken  by  pressure.  There  is  a pressure  that 
will  break  almost  any  timber.  Oak  will  bear  so  many 
tons,  ash  so  many,  and  hickory  so  many ; but  take  a 
piece  of  timber  that  is  eaten  out  by  dry-rot,  or  by 
worms,  and  put  pressure  upon  it,  and  the  moment  it 
is  called  to  bear  a weight  of  twenty-five  pounds  it 
snaps.  And  in  many  cases  where  men  break  down, 
the  reason  why  they  break  down  is  that  they  are 
worm-eaten.  There  are  thousands  of  men  who  are 
deceived  in  bargains,  who  would  not  be  if  they  had 
the  head  that  honesty  and  morality  give.  There  are 
thousands  of  men  who  place  their  trust  in  things 
which  are  not  to  be  relied  upon,  and  who  are  contin- 
ually stumbling,  who  would  do  well  enough  if  they 
were  conscientious  and  upright.  Some  are  weak- 
minded,  some  are  short-sighted  ; some  go  into  busi- 
ness for  which  they  are  not  adapted  ; some  undertake 
more  than  they  have  the  capacity  to  do,  and  there  are 
failures  from  these  causes  ; but  I declare  to  you  that, 
among  the  men  who  fail,  the  greatest  number  fail  from 
moral  delinquencies ; from  ten  thousand  little  flaws 
that  take  away  the  stamina,  the  robustness  of  char- 
acter, and  the  soundness  of  judgment  which  are  indis- 
pensable to  success.  And  it  is  very  desirable  that 
young  men  should  know  these  things. 

The  smiles  of  heaven  are  upon  those  who  do  unto 
others  as  they  would  have  others  do  unto  them. 

But  it  is  weak  human  nature  to  “ kick  him  because 


288 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


he  is  down,”  and  more  than  that,  to  kick  him  down 
because  he  is  climbing  up  faster  and  better  than  we. 
There  is  a universal  disposition  to  fling  disparaging 
remarks  at  the  book-agent,  or  the  colporteur,  who  res- 
olutely goes  out  to  do  good  and  make  an  honest  living. 
This  custom  is  really  upon  a par  with  the  saloon- 
keeper and  the  wine-bibber,  who  make  sport  and  cast 
reproach  upon  those  ministers  and  temperance  people 
who  seek  to  alleviate  the  curse  of  drunkenness. 

Transact  all  business  with  eternity  in  your  eye. 
Better  fail  a thousand  times,  and  in  everything  else, 
than  attempt  to  shape  for  yourself  a life  without  God, 
without  hope  in  Christ,  and  without  an  interest  in 
heaven. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  trade  tries  character 
perhaps  more  severely  than  any  other  pursuit  in 
life.  It  puts  to  the  severest  tests  honesty,  self-denial, 
justice,  and  truthfulness  ; and  men  of  business  who 
pass  through  such  trials  unstained  are,  perhaps, 
worthy  of  as  great  honor  as  soldiers  who  prove  their 
courage  amidst  the  fire  and  perils  of  battle.  And,  to 
the  credit  of  the  multitudes  of  men  engaged  in 
the  various  departments  of  trade,  we  think  it  must 
be  admitted  that,  on  the  whole,  they  pass  through 
their  trials  nobly.  If  we  reflect  but  a moment  on  the 
vast  amount  of  wealth  daily  intrusted  even  to  subor- 
dinate persons,  who  themselves  probably  earn  but  a 
bare  competency — the  loose  cash  which  is  constantly 
passing  through  the  hands  of  shopmen,  agents, 
brokers,  and  clerks  in  banking-houses — and  note  how 
comparatively  few  are  the  breaches  of  trust  which 


BUSINESS  MORALITY. 


289 


occur  amidst  all  this  temptation,  it  will  probably  be 
admitted  that  this  steady  daily  honesty  of  conduct  is 
most  honorable  to  human  nature,  if  it  do  not  even 
tempt  us  to  be  proud  of  it. 

The  same  trust  and  confidence  reposed  by  men  of 
business  in  each  other,  as  implied  by  the  system  of 
credit,  which  is  mainly  based  upon  the  principle  of 
honor,  would  be  surprising  if  it  were  not  so  much  a 
matter  of  ordinary  practice  in  business  transactions. 
Dr.  Chalmers  has  well  said  that  the  implicit  trust  with 
which  merchants  are  accustomed  to  confide  in  distant 
agents,  separated  from  them  perhaps  by  half  the  globe 
— often  consigning  vast  wealth  to  persons,  recom- 
mended only  by  their  character,  whom  perhaps  they 
have  never  seen — is  probably  the  finest  act  of  homage 
which  men  can  render  to  one  another. 

“ In  good  times  prepare  for  bad,”  is  a sensible 
rule.  Instead  of  rushing  into  all  sorts  of  wild  specula- 
tions and  extravagant  living,  now  is  just  the  time  for 
a level-headed  man  to  keep  his  business  on  a solid 
foundation,  and  his  expenses  within  reasonable  limits. 
I remember  hearing  years  ago  of  an  old  merchant  who 
on  his  death-bed  divided  the  results  of  long  years  of 
labor,  some  hundreds  of  pounds  in  all,  amongst  his 
sons.  “ It  is  little  enough,  my  boys,”  were  his  last 
words,  “but  there  isn’t  a dirty  shilling  in  the  whole  of 
it.”  His  ideal  had  not  been  to  make  money  but  to 
keep  clean  hands. 

A person  wrote  to  the  New  York  “Tribune,”  “I  am 
a young  man  just  commencing  business,  and  have  some 

■oung  men  in  my  employ.  How  can  I manage  to  pre- 
-3 


290 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


vent  insubordination  on  the  one  hand  and  to  make  an 
affirmative  success  as  an  employer  on  the  other  hand  ? 
Are  there  any  books  that  will  help  me  ? What  are 
some  of  the  best  books  for  a young  business  man?” 
The  following  pertinent  suggestions  were  given  in 
the  answer:  “The  best  single  treatise  is  the  New 
Testament ; next  to  this  is  the  Book  of  Proverbs  of 
Solomon.  The  best  business  man  we  have  ever  known 
memorized  the  entire  Book  of  Proverbs  at  twenty-two, 
carrying  the  American  Tract  Society’s  ten-cent  edition 
in  his  vest  pocket,  and  committing  a half-dozen  verses 
daily ; and  when  he  became  an  employer  gave  a copy 
of  the  book  to  every  employe  with  a friendly  inscrip- 
tion commending  it  as  an  admirable  business  guide.” 
Speaking  of  the  modern  mania  for  speculation,  and 
making  money  rapidly,  even  at  the  risk  of  sacrificing 
honor,  Samuel  Smiles  says:  “Young  business  men 
are  often  carried  away  by  such  examples.  If  they  have 
not  firmness  and  courage,  they  are  apt  to  follow  in  their 
footsteps.  The  first  speculation  may  be  a gain.  The 
gain  may  be  followed  by  another,  and  they  are  carried 
off  their  feet  by  the  lust  for  wealth.  They  become  dis- 
honest and  unscrupulous.  Their  bills  are  all  over  the 
discount  market.  To  keep  up  their  credit  they  spend 
more  money  upon  pictures,  and  even  upon  charities. 
Formerly,  greedy  and  unjust  men  seized  the  goods  of 
others  by  violence.  To-day  they  obtain  them  by  fraud- 
ulent bankruptcies.  Formerly,  every  attempt  was 
open  ; to-day,  everything  is  secret,  until  at  length  the 
last  event  comes,  and  everything  is  exposed.  The 
man  fails  ; the  bills  are  worthless ; the  pictures  are 


SOCIAL  MORALITY. 


29I 


sold ; and  the  recreant  flies  to  avoid  the  curses  of  his 
creditors.” 

It  is  possible  that  the  scrupulously  honest  man  may 
not  grow  rich  so  fast  as  the  unscrupulous  and  dishon- 
est one;  but  the  success  will  be  of  a truer  kind,  earned 
without  fraud  or  injustice.  And  even  though  a man 
should,  for  a time,  be  unsuccessful,  still  he  must  be 
honest;  better  lose  all  and  save  character.  For  character 
is  itself  a fortune ; and  if  the  high-principled  man  will 
but  hold  on  his  way  courageously,  success  will  surely 
come — nor  will  the  highest  reward  of  all  be  withheld 
from  him.  Wordsworth  well  describes  the  “ Happy 
Warrior”  as  he 

Who  comprehends  his  trust,  and  to  the  same 
Keeps  faithful  with  a singleness  of  aim  ; 

And  therefore  does  not  stoop,  nor  lie  in  wait 
For  wealth,  or  honor,  or  for  worldly  state  ; 

Whom  they  must  follow,  on  whose  head  must  fall 
Like  showers  of  manna,  if  they  come  at  all. 


SOGIAL  ©OVALITY. 

The  floods  of  vice,  which  ruin  so  many  young  men 
and  women, — aye,  and  old  ones  too,  are  not  altogether 
the  result  of  inherent  evil.  Social  surroundings 

o 

develop  an  evil  spirit,  where  to  the  superficial  observer 
all  seems  pure  and  virtuous. 

The  professing  Christian  father  will  indulge  in  a 
foul  story  or  a lewd  remark  in  the  presence  of  his  son; 
the  mother  insinuates  a base  motive,  or  gives  expres- 


292 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


sion  to  a tainted  thought  before  her  child;  and  the 
seed  thus  sown  is  diligently  cultivated  in  younger 
company,  where  the  parent  little  suspects. 

The  seeds  of  vice  are  sown  at  home,  or  on  the 
street,  in  the  office,  the  store,  or  upon  the  farm;  and 
are  harrowed  in  by  every-day  repetition.  They  germi- 
nate with  opportunity,  at  the  social  gathering,  around 
the  hearthstone,  and  among  every-day  occurrences.. 
They  grow  into  flaming  passions  which  take  posses- 
sion of  the  soul,  and  fill  it  with  the  torments  of  the 
damned.  They  ripen  into  lives  of  shame  and  de- 
bauchery. 

What  sad  wrecks  are  there  all  around  us,  whose 
early  life  seemed  laid  amidst  scenes  of  the  greatest 
purity  and  peace.  But  there  was  a worm  gnawing  at 
the  root  of  their  lives,  of  which  the  world  knew  not, 
and  for  which  parents  or  friends  were  often  responsi- 
ble, and  which  at  last  so  weakened  their  powers  of  re- 
sistance, that  they  came  toppling  to  the  earth  like 
some  forest  oak  swept  down  by  an  avalanche. 

A people’s  morals  are  sustained  by  their  religion — - 
Christian  morals  by  Christianity.  And  if  our  people 
lead  such  lives  as  will  not  allow  them  to  become  Chris- 
tians in  fact,  in  heart,  in  personal  experience,  in  spirit 
and  general  character,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  the  vital 
and  all-sustaining  power  of  our  Christian  morality  is 
weakened  by  just  so  far  as  such  a life  is  led.  Chris- 
tian morality  is  higher,  more  general,  and  more  defi- 
nite in  its  claims  than  any  other.  It  lies  at  the  foun- 
dation of  our  refinement  and  of  our  sturdy  strength  as 
a people,  and,  as  a necessary  consequence,  it  antago- 


SOCIAL  MORALITY. 


293 


uizes  depravity  in  heart  and  life  as  no  other  system 
does,  and  more  than  any  other  it  needs  a powerful 
support  from  some  source,  even  the  support  which 
alone  is  found  in  the  hearts,  principles  and  affections 
of  a people,  a people  regenerated,  born  again,  changed, 
saved  by  the  indwelling  and  mighty  Spirit  of  God. 
In  the  light  of  this  truth  look  again  at  any  vice  which 
makes  the  true  Christian  life  impossible,  and  there 
read  the  results,  first  upon  individual  character,  and 
ultimately  upon  national  character  and  destiny. 

But  let  us  furthermore  learn  the  importance  of 
preserving  a stainless  character,  even  amid  the  most 
debasing  surroundings.  This  is  hard  to  do — very 
hard.  With  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the  tide  of 
iniquity  all  around  us,  there  is  a danger  that  the  weak 
point  of  character  will  be  reached  some  time,  and  a 
leak  sprung  by  which  the  flood  of  evil  may  with  vio- 
lence rush  through.  Sodom  never  could  have  sullied 
the  fair  character  of  Abraham,  whose  heart  was  stayed 
on  God;  but  it  came  well  nigh  ruining  his  nephew, 
Lot. 

No  greater  social  vice  exists  than  that  of  gambling. 
It  infests  our  social  life  to  a most  alarming  extent, 
until  good  Christian  women  as  well  as  men  are  allured 
into  the  mad  vortex,  and  often  wreck  their  fortunes  in 
hope  of  getting  something  for  nothing.  Lavater 
says,  “ It  is  possible  that  a wise  and  good  man  may  be 
prevailed  on  to  game  ; but  it  is  impossible  that  a pro- 
fessed gamester  should  be  a wise  and  good  man.” 

It  is  said  that  the  goddess  of  fortune,  once  sport- 
ing near  the  shady  pool  of  Olympus,  was  met  by  the 


294 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


gay  and  captivating  god  of  war,  who  soon  allured  her 
to  his  arms.  They  were  united;  but  the  matrimony 
was  not  holy,  and  the  result  of  the  union  was  a mis- 
featured  child,  called  Gaming.  From  the  moment  of 
her  birth,  this  wayward  thing  could  only  be  pleased  by 
cards,  dice  or  counters.  The  goddess  Fortune  ever 
had  an  eye  on  her  promising  daughter  Gaming ; and 
endowed  her  with  splendid  residences,  in  the  most  con- 
spicuous streets,  near  the  palaces  of  kings.  They 
were  magnificently  designed  and  elegantly  furnished. 
Lamps  always  burning  at  the  portals  were  a sign  and 
a perpetual  invitation  unto  all  to  enter ; and,  like 
the  gates  of  the  Inferno,  they  were  ever  open  to  daily 
and  nightly  visitants ; but,  unlike  the  latter,  they  per- 
mitted exit  to  all  who  entered — some  exulting  with 
golden  spoil,  others  with  their  hands  in  empty  pockets. 

“ Religion,  morals,  virtue,  all  give  way, 

And  conscience  dies,  the  prostitute  of  play. 

Eternity  ne’er  steals  one  thought  between, 

Till  suicide  completes  the  fatal  scene.” 

People  never  plot  mischief  when  they  are  merry. 
Laughter  is  an  enemy  to  malice,  a foe  to  scandal,  and 
a friend  to  every  virtue.  It  promotes  good  temper, 
enlivens  the  heart  and  brightens  the  intellect. 

Oh ! the  heinousness  of  many  of  our  thoughts ! 
How  few  would  be  willing  to  have  a glass  placed  on 
the  forehead  through  which  all  the  most  inmost 
thoughts  could  be  read.  We  fear  to  have  them 
known  to  man.  God  knows  them  all. 

It  is  not  so  much  literary  culture  that  is  wanted,  as 
habits  of  reflection,  thoughtfulness  and  right  conduct. 
Wealth  cannot  purchase  pleasures  of  the  highest 


SELF-DENIAL. 


295 


sort.  It  is  the  heart,  taste  and  judgment  which 
determine  the  happiness  of  man,  and  restore  him  to 
the  highest  form  of  being.  Burns  says: 

“ It’s  no  in  titles  nor  in  rank ; 

It’s  no  in  wealth  like  London  Bank, 

To  purchase  peace  and  rest; 

It’s  no  in  making  muckle  mair; 

It’s  no  in  books ; it’s  no  in  lear, 

To  make  us  truly  blest: 

If  Happiness  hae  not  her  seat 
And  center  in  the  breast, 

We  may  be  wise,  or  rich,  or  great, 

But  never  can  be  blest.” 


Self-Denial. 

When  a man  finds,  at  last,  that  there  is  something 
beyond  this  life  to  live  for,  the  moment  that  concep- 
tion gets  into  his  mind,  life  is  transfigured  and  glorified 
into  the  nobler  spheres  of  action.  It  becomes  always 
glorious  and  fresh.  Some  men  will  tell  you  that  life 
is  tasteless,  wearisome  and  exhausting;  in  every  case 
they  are  men  who  have  tried  to  live  in  a narrow  and 
selfish  manner.  Life  is  transfigured  to  every  true,  lov- 
ing, brave  and  diligent  soul.  Each  man,  faithful  in  his 
sphere,  transfigures  it,  and  makes  grand  the  humblest 
position.  We  may  say  that  the  act  of  transfiguration 
takes  place  when  a man  realizes  the  worth  of  his  own 
soul,  and  his  work  of  self-denying  devotion  to  the 
good  of  his  fellow-man. 

Self-denial  is  a kind  of  holy  association  with  God  ; 
and,  by  making  you  his  partner,  interests  you  in  all  his 


296 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


happiness.  The  more  a man  denies  himself,  the  more 
he  shall  obtain  from  God.  Teach  self-denial,  and  make 
its  practice  pleasurable,  and  you  create  for  the  world  a 
destiny  more  sublime  than  ever  issued  from  the  brain 
of  the  wildest  dreamer.  There  never  did  and  never 
will  exist  anything  permanently  noble  and  excellent  in 
a character  which  was  a stranger  to  the  exercise  of 
resolute  self-denial. 

The  humblest  mother  of  a poor  family  who  is  cum- 
bered with  much  serving,  or  watching  over  a hospital- 
ity which  she  is  too  poor  to  delegate  to  others,  or  toiling 
for  love’s  sake  in  household  work,  needs  no  emancipa- 
tion in  God’s  sight.  For  it  is  the  glory  of  womanhood 
to  consecrate  the  commonest,  hardest  things  by  a 
self-denying  ministry.  Better  that  life  be  a short  self- 
sacrifice  than  a long  self-seeking.  The  greatest  vic- 
tories and  the  sweetest  enjoyments  are  reached 
through  suffering. 

He  is  good  that  does  good  to  others.  If  he  suffers 
for  the  good  he  does,  he  is  better  still;  and  if  he  suf- 
fers from  them  to  whom  he  did  good,  he  is  arrived  to 
that  height  of  goodness  that  nothing  but  an  increase 
of  his  sufferings  can  add  to  it ; if  it  proves  his  death, 
his  virtue  is  at  its  summit, — it  is  heroism  complete. 
Daniel  Webster  says  : “What  a man  does  for  others, 

not  what  they  do  for  him,  gives  him  immortality.”  The 
ability  to  control  the  lower  nature  in  favor  of  the 
higher  nature  is  the  true  self-denial. 

No  man  was  more  devoted  to  duty  than  Charles 
Lamb.  There  are  few  who  have  not  heard  of  the  one 
awful  event  in  his  life.  When  only  twenty-one,  his 


SELF-DENIAL. 


297 


sister  Mary,  in  a fit  of  frenzy,  stabbed  her  mother  to 
the  heart  with  a carving-knife.  Her  brother,  from  that 
moment,  resolved  to  sacrifice  his  life  to  his  “poor,  dear, 
dearest  sister,”  and  voluntarily  became  her  companion. 
He  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  love  and  marriage.  Under 
the  strong  influence  of  duty,  he  renounced  the  only 
attachment  he  had  ever  formed.  With  an  income  of 
scarcely  five  hundred  dollars  a year,  he  trod  the  jour- 
ney of  life  alone,  fortified  by  his  attachment  for  his 
sister.  Neither  pleasure  nor  toil  ever  diverted  him 
from  his  purpose. 

When  released  from  the  asylum,  she  devoted  part 
of  her  time  to  the  composition  of  the  “Tales  from 
Shakespeare,”  and  other  works.  Hazlitt  speaks  of 
her  as  one  of  the  most  sensible  women  he  ever  knew, 
though  she  had  through  life  recurring  fits  of  insanity, 
and  even  when  well  was  constantly  on  the  brink  of 
madness.  When  she  felt  a fit  of  insanity  coming  on, 
Charles  would  take  her  under  his  arm  to  the  Hoxton 
Asylum.  It  was  affecting  to  see  the  young  brother 
and  his  elder  sister  walking  together,  and  weeping  to- 
• gether  on  this  painful  errand.  He  carried  the  strait 
jacket  in  his  hand,  and  delivered  her  up  to  the  care  of 
the  asylum  authorities.  When  she  had  recovered  her 
reason  she  went  home  again  to  her  brother,  who  joy- 
fully received  her — treating  her  with  the  utmost  ten- 
derness. “God  loves  her,”  he  says;  “may  we  two 
never  love  each  other  less.”  Their  affection  continued 
for  forty  years,  without  a cloud,  except  such  as  arose 
from  the  fluctuations  of  her  health.  Lamb  did  his  duty 
nobly  and  manfully,  and  he  reaped  a fitting  reward. 


298 


WELL-STRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


There  are  many  such  noble  examples  of  self-deny- 
ing devotion  to  duty  all  around  us!  See  that  devoted 
daughter,  renouncing  the  opportunity  for  a brilliant 
life  in  the  social  circles,  for  which  her  talents  have 
fitted  her,  that  she  may  relieve  her  less  favored  broth- 
ers and  sisters  of  the  burden  of  caring  for  an  aged 
father.  And  that  son,  who  unhesitatingly  leaves  a 
lucrative  position,  in  obedience  to  the  whim  of  an 
invalid  mother,  to  go  to  a distant  place  and  among  # 
strangers,  and  again  begin  the  battle  for  honor  and  a 
competence.  These  things  are  all  done  so  quietly, 
that  we  do  not  half  notice  or  comprehend  what  they 
cost,  but  the  recording  angel  does  not  overlook  them. 

There  are  gifts  more  precious  than  money;  a kind 
word;  a hasty  hand-clasp,  or  a sympathizing  tear;  an 
hour  of  prudent  counsel  may  do  far  more  for  persons 
in  distress  than  any  mere  gifts  of  pence  or  shillings 
that  may  be  bestowed.  We  need  to  be  brought  in 
direct  contact  with  suffering  humanity,  face  to  face, 
heart  to  heart,  and  hand  to  hand;  and  we  need  this 
not  only  for  their  benefit,  but  for  our  own;  not  only 
that  the  poor  may  be  lifted  up  from  their  dejected  * 
state,  but  that  we  ourselves  may  be  lifted  up  to 
the  joy  and  blessedness  of  a better  and  more  unselfish 
life. 

The  happiness  of  the  tender  heart  is  increased  by 
what  it  can  take  away  from  the  wretchedness  of  others. 
The  essence  of  true  nobility  is  neglect  of  self.  Let 
the  thought  of  self  pass  in,  and  the  beauty  of  a great 
action  is  gone,  like  the  bloom  of  a soiled  flower.  Dr. 
Monro  Gibson  says:  “Many  a small  man  is  never 


SELF-DENIAL. 


299 


done  talking  about  the  sacrifices  he  makes,  but  he  is  a 
great  man,  indeed,  who  can  sacrifice  everything  and 
say  nothing.” 

In  a time  of  famine  a rich  man  sent  for  the  poorest 
children  of  the  town,  and  said  to  them: 

“There  is  a basket  full  of  bread:  you  may  come 
every  day  and  take  a loaf  until  it  pleases  God  to  send 
better  times.” 

The  children  attacked  the  basket,  and  disputed  as 
to  which  should  have  the  largest  loaf,  and  then  went 
away  without  thanking  their  benefactor. 

Only  Frances,  a very  poor  but  cleanly  girl,  mod- 
estly remained  behind,  and  had  the  smallest  loaf 
which  was  left  in  the  basket.  She  gratefully  returned 
thanks  and  went  home  quietly.  One  day  the  children 
behaved  very  badly  indeed,  and  poor  Frances  received 
a loaf  very  much  smaller  than  the  rest;  but  when  she 
took  it  home,  and  her  mother  cut  it  open,  a number  of 
pieces  of  silver  fell  on  the  floor. 

The  poor  woman  was  astonished  and  said: 

“Go  and  return  this  money  immediately,  it  must 
have  been  put  in  the  bread  by  mistake.” 

Frances  went  directly  with  it  to  the  gentleman, 
who  said: 

“My  dear  child,  it  was  no  mistake.  I had  the 
money  put  into  that  loaf  to  reward  you.  Remain 
always  as  peaceable  and  contented.  Those  who  are 
satisfied  with  a little  always  bring  blessings  upon 
themselves  and  family,  and  will  pass  happily  through 
the  world.  Do  not  thank  me,  but  thank  God,  who  put 
into  your  heart  the  treasure  of  a contented  and  grate- 


300 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ful  spirit,  and  who  has  given  me  the  will  and  oppor- 
tunity to  be  useful  to  those  who  are  in  need  of  assist- 
ance.” 

— — 

PATIENCE  AND  FORBEARANCE. 

Patience  is  the  endurance  of  any  evil,  out  of  the 
love  of  God,  as  the  will  of  God.  The  offices  of  pa- 
tience are  as  varied  as  the  ills  of  life.  We  have  need 
of  it  with  ourselves  and  with  others  ; with  those  above 
and  below  us,  and  with  equals ; with  those  who  love 
us,  and  those  who  love  us  not ; for  the  greatest  things 
and  the  least ; against  sudden  trouble,  and  under  daily 
burdens ; disappointments  as  to  weather,  or  the 
breaking  of  the  heart ; in  weariness  of  body,  in  wear- 
ing of  soul ; in  our  own  failure,  and  others’  failures  to 
us.  In  all  these  things,  from  childhood’s  little  troubles 
to  the  martyr’s  sufferings,  patience  is  the  grace  of  God, 
whereby  we  endure  evil  for  love  of  Him,  and  keep 
still  and  motionless  not  to  offend  Him. 

Patience  has  its  charms  as  well  as  its  reputed  vir- 
tue. The  charm  is  in  its  cheerfulness  ; the  virtue  in 
its  quiet  fortitude  to  wait  and  trust.  One  adds  to  the 
other’s  beauty  just  as  a moonbeam  resting  upon  a 
placid  sea  adds  to  the  beauty  of  the  peaceful  waters. 

The  horse  of  a pious  man  in  Massachusetts  hap- 
pening to  stray  into  the  road,  a neighbor  of  the  man 
who  owned  the  horse  put  him  in  the  pound.  Meeting 
the  owner  soon  after,  he  told  him  what  he  had  done, 
and  added,  “ If  ever  I catch  him  in  the  road  hereafter, 


PATIENCE  AND  FORBEARANCE. 


301 


I’ll  do  just  so  again.”  “Neighbor,”  replied  the  other,. 
“Not  long  since,  I looked  out  of  my  window  in  the 
night,  and  saw  your  cattle  in  my  mowing-ground ; and 
I drove  them  out,  and  shut  them  in  your  yard ; and 
I'll  do  it  again!  Struck  with  the  reply,  the  man  lib- 
erated the  horse  from  the  pound,  and  paid  the  charges 
himself. 

Trust  a man — show  that  you  are  ready  to  place 
confidence  in  him  as  a man — exhibit  by  your  conduct 
toward  him  that  you  believe,  so  to  speak,  in  his  honor, 
aud  you  will  do  far  more  to  win  the  heart  of  that  man, 
and  to  draw  forth  the  better  feelings  of  his  nature, 
than  by  all  the  exhibitions  of  law  and  authority.  You 
disarm  a man’s  evil  nature  when  you  prove  by  your 
acts  and  demeanor  that  you  have  confidence  in  his 
better  nature.  Thus  it  is  that  evil  can  be  overcome 
by  good. 

Indeed,  we  need  but  to  trust  men  more  to  bring 
out  the  good  that  is  in  them.  Trust  them  wltfiP*  privi- 
leges, and  by  practice  they  will  learn  the  right  use  of 
them.  The  only  cure  for  the  evils  of  newly  acquired 
freedom  is  freedom.  Accustom  the  prisoner  who  has 
come  out  of  his  cell  to  the  light,  and  he  will  soon  be 
able  to  bear  the  brightest  rays  of  the  sun.  To  human- 
ize men  they  must  be  familiarized  with  humanizing 
influences.  To  make  men  good  citizens,  they  must  be 
allowed  to  exercise  the  rights  and  functions  of  citi- 
zens. Before  a man  can  swim,  he  must  first  have 
gone  into  the  water;  before  a man  can  ride,  he  must 
first  have  mounted  a horse;  and  before  he  can  be  an 


302 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


intelligent  citizen,  he  must  first  have  been  admitted 
to  the  duties  of  citizenship. 

Never  be  discouraged  because  good  things  go  on 
so  slowly  here  ; and  never  fail  daily  to  do  that  good 
which  lies  next  to  your  hand.  Do  not  be  in  a hurry, 
but  be  diligent.  Enter  into  the  sublime  patience  of 
the  Lord.  Be  charitable  in  view  of  it.  God  can 
afford  to  wait ; why  cannot  we,  since  we  have  him  to 
fall  back  upon  ? Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work, 
and  bring  forth  her  celestial  fruits.  Trust  to  God  to 
weave  your  little  thread  into  a great  web,  though  the 
patterns  show  it  not  yet.  When  God’s  people  are 
able  and  willing  thus  to  labor  and  wait,  remember  that 
one  day  with  the  Lord  is  as  a thousand  years,  and  the 
thousand  years  shall  show  themselves  as  a perfect  and 
finished  day.  John  Calvin  has  said,  “I  have  not  so 
great  a struggle  with  my  vices,  great  and  numerous 
as  they  are,  as  I have  with  my  impatience.”  The 
Alexander  is  strong  within  us.  To  conquer  obstacles 
and  difficulties  without,  and  even  curb  passions  with- 
in, is  easier  than  to  “rule  the  spirit”  and  bridle  the 
tongue.  With  what  pains  and  patience  men  study  the 
art  of  speaking  Saxon  and  Lrench  and  German,  and 
even  the  classics,  that  they  may  give  the  most  delicate 
light  and  shade  to  thought.  But  the  divine  art  of 
silence — holding  the  tongue  under  neglect  or  insult, 
being  calm  under  every  pressure  of  adversity — this 
surely  is  greater.  Patience  measures  the  character ; 
it  perfects  it.  “ But  let  patience  have  her  perfect 
work,  that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting 
nothing.”  Yet  what  do  we  see  in  the  large  measure 


PATIENCE  AND  FORBEARANCE. 


303 


of  cases  ? Men  living  as  if  passion  were  strength. 
They  groan  and  tug  away  as  if  there  were  no  God  at 
the  helm.  They  hurry  and  bustle,  rushing  hither 
and  thither,  as  if  fire  in  the  glow  could  make  everything 
peaceful  and  fruitful.  But  who  has  found  fussing, 
fuming  and  fretting,  elements  of  strength?  What 
character  have  they  profited?  What  plans  have  they 
perfected  ? Impatience  never  made  anything  better 
in  this  world. 

As  the  sweetest  things  put  into  sour  vessels  sours 
them,  or  put  into  a bitter  vessel  embitters  them, 
so  murmuring  puts  gall  and  wormwood  into  every 
cup  of  mercy  that  God  gives  into  our  hands.  The 
murmurer  writes  Marah  upon  all  his  mercies,  and 
reads  and  tastes  bitterness  in  them  all.  As  to  the 
hungry  soul  every  bitter  thing  is  sweet,  so  to  the 
murmuring  soul  every  sweet  thing  is  bitter. 

Try  to  be  patient.  We  so  often  spoil  the  good 
work  of  our  hands  by  a spirit  of  impatience  that  can- 
not brook  delay,  and  like  an  impatient  child  we  dig 
round  the  very  roots  we  have  planted  so  carefully,  and 
thus  hinder  natural  growth.  Give  plenty  of  time  for 
fruition.  A good  husbandman  is  seldom  in  haste.  He 
sows  and  he  tends — doing  his  part  carefully,  and  then 
he  waits.  Depend  upon  it,  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
science  about  the  world  and  its  ways,,  and  all  the 
ignorance  of  God  and  his  greatness,  the  man  or 
woman  who  can  say,  “Thy  will  be  done,”  with  the 
true  heart  of  giving  up,  is  nearer  the  secret  of  things 
than  the  geologist  and  theologian. 

The  greatest  example  the  world  has  ever  had  of 


304 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


patience  and  forbearance,  is  our  Lord  and  Savior,  who 
constantly  entreats  and  commands  his  followers  to 
humility  and  forgiveness.  “ Forgive  and  ye  shall  be 
forgiven  ” is  the  promise  at  the  beginning,  and  “ ye 
ought  also  to  wash  one  another’s  feet”  is  the  com- 
mand at  the  end.  One  of  the  most  lovely  and  beloved 
of  men  once  said  in  public,  “ I feel  so  humble  at  times 
that  I could  let  people  wipe  their  feet  upon  me,  rather 
than  do  them  any  injury  or  make  them  unhappy.”  In 
the  midst  of  great  cause  for  resentment  or  revenge,  let 
us  remember  how  much  we  have  done  that  has  caused 
others  to  mourn  or  to  worry  or  even  to  rage,  that  we 
had  no  just  cause  for  doing.  Then  let  us  overlook 
the  injury,  and  put  away  our  bad  feelings  and  pass  by 
the  unpleasant  matter  in  the  pleasant  manner  that 
well  becomes  a citizen  of  a Christian  and  civilized  land. 

He  is  the  only  rich  man  in  the  world  who  has 
learned  to  be  content  with  what  he  has.  If  it  were 
only  for  mere  human  reasons,  it  would  turn  to  a better 
account  to  be  patient ; nothing  defeats  the  malice  of 
an  enemy  like  a spirit  of  forbearance  ; the  return  of 
rage  for  rage  cannot  be  so  effectually  provoking. 
True  gentleness,  like  an  impenetrable  armour,  repels 
the  most  pointed  shafts  of  malice  ; they  cannot  pierce 
through  this  invulnerable  shield,  but  either  fall  hurtless 
to  the  ground,  or  return  to  wound  the  hand  that  shot 
them. 

Resentment  is  a very  expensive  vice.  How  dearly 
has  it  cost  its  votaries,  even  from  the  sin  of  Cain,  the 
first  offender  in  diis  kind ! “ It  is  cheaper,”  says  a pious 

writer,  “ to  forgive  and  save  the  charges.”  Lost  patience 


*»5 


BIND  E R E LLA. 

FOR  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


PATIENCE  AND  FORBEARANCE.  305 

is  never  found  again.  You  may  be  patient  next  time  ; 
but  the  spoken  word  cannot  be  called  back — not  with 
prayers  and  tears. 

A meek  spirit  will  not  look  out  of  itself  for  happi- 
ness, because  it  finds  a constant  banquet  at  home,  yet, 
by  a sort  of  divine  alchemy,  it  will  convert  all  external 
events  to  its  own  profit,  and  be  able  to  deduce  some 
good,  even  from  the  most  unpromising.  It  will  ex- 
tract comfort  and  satisfaction  from  the  most  barren 
circumstances.  “It  will  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock, 
and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock.”  The  gentleness  that 
makes  one  great,  comes  from  subdued  strength.  This 
lovely  fruit  of  the  spirit  proves  an  element  of  power. 
The  “ soft  answer  ” often  costs  the  answerer  dearly. 
Sweetness  of  spirit  is  the  outgrowth  of  self-control. 
Serenity  of  soul,  whatever  be  the  constitutional 
characteristics,  comes  most  frequently  from  long  self- 
discipline  and  prayerful  struggle. 

Honors  and  dignities  are  transient,  beauty  and 
riches  frail  and  fugacious  to  a proverb ; would  not  the 
truly  wise,  therefore,  wish  to  have  some  one  possession, 
which  they  might  call  their  own  in  the  severest 
exigencies.  But  this  wish  can  only  be  accomplished 
by  acquiring  and  maintaining  that  calm  and  absolute 
self-possession,  which,  as  the  world  had  no  hand  in 
giving,  so  it  cannot  by  the  most  malicious  exertion  of 
its  power,  take  away. 

You  all  remember  the  beautiful  story  of  Cinderella, 
whose  patience  and  forbearance,  under  the  indignities 
heaped  upon  her  by  cruel  sisters,  were  at  last  rewarded 

by  the  hand  of  the  beautiful  prince.  So  may  we, 
20 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


306 

under  like  circumstances,  bear  up  until  the  witch 
of  opportunity  shall  open  the  way  for  our  entrance 
upon  a life  of  honor  and  success. 


«s**s 


- W- 


Duties  op  Dips. 

No  man  has  a right  to  say  he  can  do  nothing  for 
the  benefit  of  mankind,  who  are  less  benefited  by 
ambitious  projects  than  by  the  sober  fulfillment  of 
each  man’s  proper  duties.  By  doing  the  proper  duty 
in  the  proper  place,  a man  may  make  the  world  his 
debtor.  The  results  of  “ patient  continuance  in  well- 
doing” are  never  to  be  measured  by  the  weakness 
of  the  instrument,  but  by  the  omnipotence  of  him  who 
blesseth  the  sincere  efforts  of  obedient  faith  alike  in 
the  prince  and  in  the  cottager. 

No  man’s  spirits  were  ever  hurt  by  doing  his  duty: 
on  the  contrary,  one  good  action,  one  temptation  re- 
sisted and  overcome,  one  sacrifice  of  desire  or  interest, 
purely  for  conscience  sake,  will  prove  a cordial  for 
weak  and  low  spirits,  far  beyond  what  either  indul- 
gence, or  diversion,  or  company  can  do  for  them. 

There  is  no  evil  that  we  cannot  face  or  fly  from, 
but  the  consciousness  of  duty  disregarded.  A sense 
of  duty  pursues  us  ever.  It  is  omnipresent,  like  the 
deity.  If  we  take  to  ourselves  the  wings  of  the  morn- 
ing, and  dwell  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea,  duty 
performed,  or  duty  violated  is  still  with  us,  for  our 
happiness  or  our  misery.  If  we  say,  the  darkness 


DUTIES  OF  LIFE. 


307 


shall  cover  us  — in  the  darkness,  as  in  the  light,  our 
obligations  are  yet  with  us.  We  cannot  escape  their 
power,  nor  fly  from  their  presence.  They  are  with  us 
in  this  life,  will  be  with  us  at  its  close  ; and  in  that 
scene  of  inconceivable  solemnity  which  yet  lies  further 
onward,  we  shall  still  find  ourselves  surrounded  by  the 
consciousness  of  duty,  to  pain  us  whenever  it  has  been 
violated,  and  to  console  us  so  far  as  God  may  have 
given  us  grace  to  perform  it. 

There  are  few  things  more  beautiful  than  the  calm 
and  resolute  progress  of  an  earnest  spirit.  The  tri- 
umphs of  genius  may  be  more  dazzling ; the  chances 
of  good  fortune  may  be  more  exciting ; but  neither 
are  at  all  so  interesting  or  so  worthy  as  the  achieve- 
ments of  a steady,  faithful  and  fervent  energy.  The 
labor  of  the  faithful  is  never  in  vain.  The  fruits  will 
be  found  gathered  into  his  hand,  while  the  hasty 
garlands  of  genius  are  fading  away,  and  the  prizes  of 
the  merely  fortunate  are  turned  into  vanity. 

The  best  kind  of  duty  is  done  in  secret,  and  with- 
out the  sight  of  men.  There  it  does  its  work  devotedly 
and  nobly.  It  does  not  follow  the  routine  of  worldly- 
wise  morality.  It  does  not  advertise  itself.  It  adopts 
a larger  creed  and  a loftier  code ; which  to  be  subject 
to  and  obey  is  to  consider  every  human  life  and  every 
human  action  in  the  light  of  an  eternal  obligation  to 
the  race.  Our  evil  or  our  careless  actions  incur  debts 
every  day,  that  humanity,  sooner  or  later,  must  dis- 
charge. 

Duty — pure  duty — without  any  thought  of  per- 
sonal reward  or  personal  happiness  — is  the  strongest, 


308  well-springs  of  truth. 

V/ 

sweetest,  most  sacred  force  that  domestic  life  pos- 
sesses. And  it  brings  with  it  its  own  consolations  ; 
not  perhaps  the  consolation  it  craves — it  is  strange 
how  seldom  Heaven  gives  us  poor  mortals  exactly 
what  we  desire — but  something  else  in  substitution. 
How  many  a sorrowful  woman  heals  her  bruised 
heart  beside  her  baby’s  cradle  ! How  many  a disap- 
pointed, lonely  man — to  whom  his  wife  is  no  companion 
and  no  helpmeet — takes  comfort  in  his  baby  daughter, 
and  looks  forward  hopefully  to  the  time  when  she  will 
be  a grown  woman  ; his  friend  and  solace,  the  sharer 
of  his  tastes  and  humorer  of  his  innocent  hobbies — • 
all,  in  short,  that  her  mother  might  have  been,  but  is 
not!  Yet  he  will  not  love  the  mother  the  less,  but 
rather  the  more,  for  the  child’s  sake. 

Neglect  of  private  duties  is  the  great  reason  why 
the  hearts  of  many  are  so  dead  and  dull,  so  formal 
and  carnal,  so  barren  and  unfruitful  under  public 
ordinances.  Oh  that  Christians  would  lay  this  seri- 
ously to  heart ! Certainly  that  man’s  heart  is  best  in 
public  duties  who  is  most  frequently  in  private  ex- 
ercises. 

Man  does  not  live  for  himself  alone.  He  lives  for 
the  good  of  others  as  well  as  of  himself.  Every  one 
has  his  duties  to  perform — the  richest  as  well  as  the 
poorest.  To  some  life  is  pleasure,  to  others  suffering. 
But  the  best  do  not  live  for  self-enjoyment,  or  even 
for  fame.  Their  strongest  motive  power  is  hopeful, 
useful  work  in  every  good  cause. 

The  sphere  of  duty  is  infinite.  It  exists  in  every 
station  of  life.  We  have  it  not  in  our  choice  to  be 


DUTIES  OF  LIFE. 


309 


rich  or  poor,  to  be  happy  or  unhappy ; but  it  becomes 
us  to  do  the  duty  that  everywhere  surrounds  us. 
Obedience  to  duty,  at  all  costs  and  risks,  is  the  very 
essence  of  the  highest  civilized  life.  Great  deeds  must 
be  worked  for,  hoped  for,  died  for,  now  as  in  the  past. 

Do  not  go  through  life  searching  for  the  hard  and 
unpleasant  things;  it  is  enough  if  you  are  ready  for 
them  when  they  come.  Live  and  act  to-day.  He 
who  spends  one  half  of  his  time  in  enjoying  his  to- 
morrows will  spend  the  other  half  in  regretting  his 
yesterdays.  He  who  is  false  to  the  present  duty 
breaks  a thread  in  the  loom,  and  will  see  the  effect 
when  the  weaving  of  a life-time  is  unraveled.  Duties 
first,  pleasures  afterward  ; let  this  be  your  life-rule. 

The  widest  field  of  duty  lies  outside  the  line  of 
literature  and  books.  Men  are  social  beings  more 
than  intellectual  creatures.  The  best  part  of  human 
cultivation  is  derived  from  social  contact ; hence  cour- 
tesy, self-respect,  mutual  toleration,  and  self-sacrifice 
for  the  good  of  others.  Experience  of  men  is  wider 
than  literature.  Life  is  a book  which  lasts  one’s  life- 
time, but  it  requires  wisdom  to  understand  its  difficult 
pages. 

Seek  not  to  please  the  world,  but  your  own  con- 
science. The  man  who  has  a feeling  within  him  that 
he  has  done  his  duty  upon  every  occasion  is  far  happier 
than  he  who  hangs  upon  the  smiles  of  the  great  or 
the  still  more  fickle  favors  of  the  multitude. 

Life  is  a short  day  ; but  it  is  a working  day.  Activity 
may  lead  to  evil,  but  inactivity  cannot  lead  to  good. 
Luck  is  ever  waiting  for  something  to  turn  up.  Labor, 


3io 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


with  keen  eyes  and  strong  will,  will  turn  up  something. 
Luck  lies  in  bed,  and  wishes  the  postman  would  bring 
him  the  news  of  a legacy.  Labor  turns  out  at  six 
o’clock,  and,  with  busy  pen  or  ringing  hammer,  lays  the 
foundation  of  a competence.  Luck  whines.  Labor 
whistles.  Luck  relies  on  chance.  Labor  on  character. 
Labor  is  the  duty  man  owes  to  society,  rest  is  the 
duty  he  owes  to  his  person,  recreation  is  the  duty  he 
owes  to  his  mind. 


As  the  beauty  of  summer,  the  fruitfulness  of 
autumn  and  the  support  of  winter  depend  upon 
spring  ; so  the  happiness,  wisdom  and  piety  of  middle 
life  and  old  age  depend  upon  youth.  Youth  is  the 
seed-time  of  life.  If  the  farmer  does  not  plow  his 
land,  and  commit  the  precious  seed  to  the  ground  in 
spring,  it  will  be  too  late  afterwards.  So  if  we,  while 
young,  neglect  to  cultivate  our  hearts  and  minds,  by 
not  sowing  the  seeds  of  knowledge  and  virtue,  our 
future  lives  will  be  ignorant,  vicious  and  wretched. 
“The  sluggard  will  not  plow  by  reason  of  the  cold;  he, 
therefore,  shall  beg  in  harvest  and  have  nothing.” 

The  soil  of  the  human  heart  is  naturally  barren  of 
everything  good,  though  prolific  of  evil.  If  corn, 
flowers,  or  trees  be  not  planted  and  carefully  culti- 
vated, nettles  and  brambles  will  spring  up  ; and  the 


Sowing 


Every  one  is  sowing,  both  by  word  and  deed ; 

All  mankind  are  growing,  either  wheat  or  weed ; 
Thoughtless  ones  are  throwing  any  sort  of  seed. 


SOWING. 


mind,  if  not  cultivated,  and  stored  with  useful  knowl- 
edge, will  become  a barren  desert  or  a thorny  wilder- 
ness. 

As  the  spring  is  the  most  important  part  of  the 
year,  so  is  youth  the  most  important  period  of  life. 
Surely,  God  has  a claim  to  our  first  and  principal  at- 
tention, and  religion  demands  the  morning  of  our  days, 
and  the  first  season,  the  spring  of  our  lives;  before  we 
are  encumbered  by  cares,  distressed  by  afflictions,  or 
engaged  in  business,  it  becomes  us  to  resign  our  souls 
to  God. 

Perhaps  you  may  live  for  many  years  ; then  you  will 
be  happy  in  possessing  knowledge  and  piety,  and  be 
enabled  to  do  good  to  others  ; but  if,  just  as  youth  is 
beginning  to  show  its  buds  and  blossoms,  the  flower 
should  be  snapped  from  its  stalk  by  the  rude  hand  of 
death,  O ! how  important  that  it  should  be  trans- 
planted from  earth,  to  flourish  forever  at  the  foot  of  the 
tree  of  life,  and  beside  the  waters  of  the  river  of  life 
in  heaven. 

There  is  not  a thought  that  is  not  striking  a blow ; 
there  is  not  an  impulse  that  is  not  doing  mason  work  ; 
there  is  not  a passion  thrust  this  way  or  that  that  is  not 
a working  man’s  thrust.  The  imagination  in  all 
directions  is  building.  You  think  you  are  throwing 
out  the  net  for  game ; you  think  that  you  are  laying- 
plans  for  your  accomplishment : but  back  of  all  the 
conscious  work  that  is  going  on  in  you,  back  of  your 
visible  attainments,  there  is  another  work  going  on. 
There  are  as  many  master-workmen  in  you  as  there 
are  separate  faculties  ; and  there  are  as  many  blows 


3 I 2 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

being  struck  as  there  are  separate  acts  of  emotion  or 
of  volition.  And  this  work  is  going  on  perpetually. 
Every  single  day  these  myriad  forces  are  building, 
building,  building.  Here  is  a great  structure  going 
up,  point  by  point,  story  by  story,  although  you  are 
not  conscious  of  it.  It  is  a building  of  character.  It 
is  a building  that  must  stand,  and  the  word  of  inspira- 
tion warns  you  to  take  heed  how  you  build  it,  to  see 
that  you  have  a foundation  that  shall  endure  : to  make 
sure  that  you  are  building  on  it,  not  for  the  hour  in 
which  you  live,  but  for  that  hour  of  revelation,  that 
hour  of  testing,  when  that  which  hath  been  done  shall 
be  brought  out,  and  you  shall  be  brought  out,  and 
shall  be  seen  just  as  you  are. 

It  is  a good  and  safe  rule  to  sojourn  in  everyplace 
as  if  you  meant  to  spend  your  life  there,  never  omit- 
ting an  opportunity  of  doing  a kindness,  or  speaking 
a true  word,  or  making  a friend.  Seeds  thus  sown  by 
the  wayside  often  bring  forth  an  abundant  harvest. 
You  might  so  sojourn  among  strangers  that  they 
should  be  better  and  happier,  through  time  and  eter- 
nity, for  your  works  and  your  example. 

The  past  is  ever  present  with  us.  “Every  sin,” 
says  Jeremy  Taylor,  “smiles  in  the  first  address,  and  car- 
ries light  in  the  face  and  honey  on  the  lip.”  When  life 
matures,  and  the  evil-doer  ceases  not  from  his  ways, 
he  can  only  look  forward  to  old  age  with  fear  and 
despair.  But  good  principles,  on  the  other  hand,  form 
a suit  of  armor  which  no  weapon  can  penetrate. 
“True  religion,”  says  Cecil,  “is  the  life,  health  and 
education  of  the  soul ; and  whoever  truly  possesses  it 


SOWING. 


3J3 

is  strengthened  with  peculiar  encouragement  for  ever)7 
o-ood  word  and  work.” 

o 

What  we  sow  in  youth  we  reap  in  age.  The  seed 
of  the  thistle  always  produces  the  thistle.  The  possi- 
bilities that  wait  upon  you  who  are  yet  in  the  spring- 
time of  existence,  who  are  yet  holding  in  your  own 
two  hands  the  precious  gift  of  time,  cannot  be  esti- 
mated ! Do  not  forget  that  a useless  life  is  an  early 
death.  If  you  expect  to  fail,  you  will  not  be  disap- 
pointed. If  you  expect  to  fail,  get  out  of  the  way  at 
once.  It  will  save  time,  and  perhaps  “ feelings.”  There 
are  few  sublimer  words  than  Carey’s,  when  he  was 
pleading  for  foreign  missions  before  a prejudiced  au- 
dience in  TTorthampton,  England.  He  had  two  points 
in  his  sermon,  thus:  “First:  Attempt  great  things 

for  God.  Second : Expect  great  things  from  God.” 
God  does  not  desire  that  we  should  pitch  our  tents  in 
the  valley  of  repentance  and  humiliation.  He  is  satis- 
fied if  we  only  pass  through  on  our  way  to  the  happy 
heights  of  peace  beyond. 

The  Christian  sower  sows  himself,  his  character,  his 
spirit,  his  power  of  influence.  He  is  himself  a seed 
quick  with  divine  life ; planted  anywhere,  God  can  make 
that  seed  grow  into  blessing.  Spare  sowing  makes 
spare  reaping,  bountiful  sowing  brings  bountiful  har- 
vests; so  let  every  man  give  not  grudgingly  but  cheer- 
fully. The  wise  man  said,  “ The  liberal  soul  shall  be 
made  fat;  and  he  that  watereth  shall  be  watered  also 
himself.”  We  cannot  get  more  out  of  human  life  than 
we  put  into  it. 

We  are  hanging  up  pictures  every  day  about  the 


314  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

chamber  walls  of  our  hearts  that  we  shall  have  to  look 
at  when  we  sit  in  the  shadows.  The  law  of  harvest  is 
to  reap  more  than  you  sow.  Sow  an  act  and  you  reap 
a habit ; sow  a habit  and  you  reap  a character ; sow  a 
character  and  you  reap  a destiny. 

Often  we  become  discouraged  and  abandon  a work, 
when  on  the  eve  of  success.  We  must  sow  before  we 
reap,  “but  in  due  season  we  shall  reap  if  we  faint  not.” 
Think  of  Judson  waiting  five  years  for  his  first  convert 
in  Burmah ; or  of  Robert  Morrison’s  waiting  seven 
years  for  his  first  convert  in  China;  or  Adams’  ten 
years  at  Port  Natal ; or  the  London  Mission  Society’s 
ten  in  Madagascar  and  thirty  in  the  Madras  Presidency 
without  any,  and  fifteen  in  Tahiti  for  its  first  convert; 
or  the  Baptists  twenty-one  years  for  twenty  converts 
among  the  Telugus,  as  compared  with  the  gains  of  the 
last  ten  years,  counted  by  tens  of  thousands. 

A pious  author,  writing  about  the  results  of  classi- 
cal study,  and  imbibing  the  doctrines  of  ancient 
heathen  philosophers,  says:  “The  necessity  of  doing 

this,  perhaps  somewhat  weakens  the  serious  impres- 
sions of  young  men,  at  least  till  the  understanding  is 
formed,  and  confuses  their  ideas  of  piety,  by  mixing 
them  with  so  much  heterogeneous  matter.  They  only 
casually  read,  or  hear  read,  the  Scriptures  of  truth, 
while  they  are  obliged  to  learn  by  heart,  construe 
and  repeat  the  poetical  fables  of  the  less  than  human 
gods  of  the  ancients.  And,  as  the  excellent  author  of 
‘The  Internal  Evidence  of  the  Christian  Religion’  ob- 
serves, ‘ Nothing  has  so  much  contributed  to  corrupt 
the  true  spirit  of  the  Christian  institution,  as  that 


REAPING. 


315 


partiality  which  we  contract,  in  our  earliest  educa- 
tion, for  the  manners  of  pagan  antiquity.’  ” 

Be  careful  about  the  initial  paragraphs.  Some- 
body has  said  that  “the  first  hour  is  the  rudder  that 
steers  the  course  of  the  whole  day.”  The  mediaeval 
monks,  in  preparing  their  manuscripts,  took  special 
pains  in  illuminating  the  opening  letter  of  the  chapter, 
reasoning  rightly  that  they  would  be  likely  to  conform 
the  rest  of  their  work  to  that.  If  the  first  words  and 
first  acts  of  the  new  year  are  such  as  conscience 
approves,  good  square  strokes  and  not  blots,  it  helps 
wonderfully  to  make  all  the  rest  of  the  record  comely. 
There  is  an  old  proverb  that  “a  bad  beginning  makes 
a good  ending;”  but  if  that  ever  proves  true  in  life  it 
is  owing  to  the  uncovenanted  grace  of  God,  a power 
in  which  men  are  nowhere  encouraged  to  trust.  If 
anybody  is  in  earnest  to  build  a symmetrical  year,  in 
whose  strength  and  beauty  he  can  find  satisfation,  let 
him  take  special  pains  with  the  lower  courses  of  the 
foundation.  The  first  days  are  the  corner-stones  of 
all  the  days  which  are  to  follow. 

— 

Reaping. 

If  you  forget  God  when  you  are  young,  God  may 
forget  you  when  you  are  old.  Sin  yields  its  pleasures 
first;  but  the  pain  is  sure  to  follow.  The  pleasures  of 
sin  are  but  for  a season.  As  they  who,  for  every 
slight  infirmity,  take  physic  to  repair  their  health,  do 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


316 

rather  impair  it ; so  they  who,  for  every  trifle,  are  eager 
to  vindicate  their  character,  do  rather  weaken  it.  He 
who  would  pass  the  latter  part  of  his  life  with  honor 
and  decency,  must,  when  he  is  young,  consider  that  he 
shall  one  day  be  old;  and  remember,  when  he  is  old, 
that  he  has  once  been  young. 

A master  comes  to  his  garden.  He  turns  over 
leaves  of  pear  and  plum  trees,  and  he  looks  along  the 
branches  of  the  peach-trees.  “Trees  look  very  heal- 
thy, don’t  they,  sir?”  says  the  gardener,  in  a satisfied 
way.  Then  they  pass  into  the  orchard.  “Nice  trees 
these,  sir,”  observes  the  gardener,  “very  choice  sorts, 
golden  pippin  and  russet.”  Then  they  turn  to  the 
hot-houses  : “ Vines  and  pines  look  very  promising,” 

says  the  gardener,  smiling  complacently.  At  last  the 
master  speaks  out,  half  angrily,  “What  in  the  world  is 
the  use  of  healthy  trees,  and  of  choice  sorts,  and  of 
promising  plants?  I don’t  want  green  leaves  and  fine 
young  wood  only — I want  fruit.  And  if  you  can’t  get 
it,  I must  find  somebody  that  can.” 

The  Lord  of  the  vineyard  comes  to  us.  He  stands 
before  us  and  looks  underneath  the  leaves  of  our  pro- 
fession, searching  for  fruit.  Good  desires,  good  feel- 
ings, good  endeavors,  all  our  praying,  all  our  believing 
— everything  else  counts  for  nothing  unless  there  be 
some  fruit.  This  is  what  our  Master  requires  and 
seeks. 

In  an  active  life  is  sown  the  seed  of  wisdom;  but 
he  who  reflects  not  never  reaps  ; has  no  harvest  from 
it,  but  carries  the  burden  of  age,  without  the  wages  of 
experience;  nor  knows  himself  old,  but  from  his  infirmi- 


REAPING. 


317 


ties,  the  parish  register,  and  the  contempt  of  mankind. 
And  what  has  age,  if  it  has  not  esteem  ? It  has  nothing. 

The  martyr  may  perish  at  the  stake,  but  the  truth 
for  which  he  dies  may  gather  new  luster  from  his  sac- 
rifice. The  patriot  may  lay  his  head  upon  the  block, 
and  hasten  the  triumph  of  the  cause  for  which  he  suf- 
fers. The  memory  of  a great  life  does  not  perish  with 
the  life  itself,  but  lives  in  other  minds.  The  ardent  and 
enthusiastic  may  seem  to  throw  their  lives  away ; but 
the  enduring  men  continue  the  fight,  and  enter  in  and 
take  possession  of  the  ground  on  which  their  predeces- 
sors sleep.  Thus  the  triumph  of  a just  cause  may 
come  late,  but  when  it  does  come  it  is  due  to  the  men 
who  have  failed  as  well  as  to  the  men  who  have  event- 
ually succeeded. 

The  man  whose  conscience  is  void  of  offense,  can 
stand  unmoved  amid  the  storms  of  sorrow,  and  can 
face  the  slings  and  arrows  of  adversity,  strong  in  the 
confidence  that  God  is  with  him.  But  when  he  has 
violated  conscience  and  has  departed  from  God,  his 
sources  of  strength  are  dried  up ; like  Samson 
despoiled  of  his  locks,  he  is  weak  as  other  men  are, 
and  goes  down  in  the  general  wreck,  feeble  when  he 
might  have  been  strong,  defeated  when  he  might  have 
been  a victor,  dishonored  when  he  might  have  been 
crowned  with  glory,  lost  when  he  might  have  been 
saved. 

Many  young  persons  seem  to  think  it  of  not  much 
consequence  if  they  do  not  improve  their  time  well  in 
youth,  vainly  expecting  that  they  can  make  it  up  by 
diligence  when  they  are  older.  They  also  think  it 


o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


is  disgraceful  for  men  and  women  to  be  idle,  but  that 
there  can  be  no  harm  for  persons  who  are  young  to 
spend  their  time  in  any  manner  they  please. 

John  B.  Gough  says : “ I tell  you  in  all  sincerity, 
not  as  in  the  excitement  of  speech,  but  as  I would  con- 
fess before  God,  that  I would  give  my  right  hand  if  I 
could  forget  that  which  I learned  in  evil  company,” 
Better  it  is  toward  the  right  conduct  of  life  to  consider 
what  will  be  the  end  of  a thing  than  what  is  the  be- 
ginning  of  it;  for  what  promises  fair  at  first  may  prove 
ill,  and  what  seems  at  first  a disadvantage  may  prove 
very  advantageous.  There  is  a peculiar  and  appro- 
priate reward  for  every  act,  only  remember  that  the 
reward  is  not  given  for  the  merit  of  the  act,  but  follows 
on  it  as  inevitably  in  the  spiritual  kingdom  as  wheat 
springs  from  the  grain,  and  barley  from  its  grain,  in 
the  natural  world. 

It  is  only  when  long  spaces  along  the  shore  of  the 
sea  are  taken  into  account  that  the  grand  level  is 
found  from  which  the  heights  and  depths  are  meas- 
ured. And  it  is  only  when  long  spaces  of  time  are 
considered  that  we  find  at  last  the  level  of  public 
opinion,  which  we  call  the  general  judgment  of  man- 
kind. 

Men  already  rich,  but  hasting  to  be  richer,  throw 
themselves  into  wild  speculations  with  the  view  of 
making  money  more  rapidly  than  before.  With  what 
result  ? Only  to  land  them-  in  hopeless  bankruptcy. 
Many  instances  are  at  hand  to  prove  this.  The  em- 
bezzlement of  millions  has  not  been  thought  extraordi- 
nary of  recent  years.  Money  has  been  taken  from 


REAPING. 


319 


bank  deposits  to  buy  up  railway  shares,  or  to  buy  land 
in  some  remote  colony,  the  speculation  for  a rise  often 
ending  in  a ruinous  fall.  Then  “ the  bank  broke”  and 
the  downfall  came,  ending  in  ruin  and  desolation  to  a 
thousand  homes.  Men  have  been  driven  insane,  and 
women  have  prayed  to  be  delivered  from  their  lives. 

If  our  sons  resist  us  in  choosing  a career,  or,  still 
worse,  in  choosing  companions  that  we  believe  will 
ruin  that  career;  if  our  daughters  will  go  and  fall  in 
love  with  the  last  man  in  the  world  we  would  have 
desired  for  their  husbands — well,  why  is  this?  These 
young  souls  were  given  to  us  apparently  an  absolute 
blank  page,  upon  which  we  might  write  what  we 
chose.  We  have  written.  It  is  we  who  have  formed 
their  characters,  guided  their  education,  governed  their 
morals.  Everything  they  are  now  we  have  or  are 
supposed  to  have  made  them;  at  least,  we  once 
thought  we  should  be  able  to  make  them.  If  they 
turn  out  well  we  shall  assuredly  take  the  credit  of  it; 
if  they  turn  out  ill — what  say  we  then?  That  it  is 
their  fault,  or  ours? 

It  is  easier  to  tie  a knot  in  a cord  of  wood  than  to 
do  an  evil  deed  and  get  rid  of  the  consequences.  No 
man  can  go  into  bad  company  without  suffering  for 
it.  The  homely  old  proverb  has  it  very  tersely:  “A 
man  can’t  bite  the  bottom  out  of  a frying-pan  without 
smutting  his  nose.” 

Speaking  of  the  terrors  of  a death-bed  repentance, 
when  a life  of  sin  has  prepared  for  the  reaping,  a well 
known  writer  says:  “The  infinite  importance  of  what 

he  has  to  do,  the  goading  conviction  that  it  must  be 


320 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


done;  the  utter  inability  of  doing  it;  the  dreadful  com- 
bination, in  his  mind,  of  both  the  necessity  and  inca- 
pacity; the  despair  of  crowding  the  concerns  of  an  age 
into  a moment;  the  impossibility  of  beginning  a 
repentance  which  should  have  been  coucluded,  of 
suing  for  a pardon  which  should  have  been  obtained ; 
all  these  complicated  concerns  without  strength,  with- 
out time,  without  hope,  with  a clouded  memory,  a dis- 
jointed reason,  a wounded  spirit,  undefined  terrors, 
remembered  sins,  anticipated  punishment,  an  angry 
God,  an  accusing  conscience,  all  together  intolerably 
augment  the  sufferings  of  a body  which  stands  in  little 
need  of  the  insupportable  burthen  of  a distracted 
mind  to  aggravate  its  torments.” 

To  sow  is,  in  due  course  of  time,  but  to  reap.  What 
we  reap  depends  largely  on  what  we  sow.  How  care- 
ful then  ought  we  to  be  in  all  our  actions.  Especially 
is  this  true,  when  we  think  of  the  mobility  and  plas- 
ticity of  many  minds  over  whom  we  have  influence. 
A word,  a look,  a smile,  a frown,  may  save  a soul 
forever  or  it  may  cause  eternal  woe.  Byron  was  made 
profligate  by  a mother’s  gayety.  President  Garfield 
attributed  his  success  and  high  position  to  a mother’s 
precepts  and  example. 

Sow  the  wind  — reap  the  whirlwind  ! Sow  kind- 
ness, purity,  love,  and  reap  temporal  happiness,  joy 
and  peace,  and  life  everlasting.  After  the  sowing 
comes  the  reaping,  and,  O reader ! what  shall  you 
reap?  Will  you  not  stop  and  ponder,  and  ask  your- 
self the  question  ? May  it  be  thy  lot  to  reap  joy 
everlasting  ! 


SELF  HELPS. 


3 2J 


Self  F?elps. 

Fight  your  own  battles — ask  no  favors.  You  will  succeed  a thousand 
times  better  than  one  who  is  always  beseeching  patronage. 

A young  man  wrote  Dr.  Prime  for  advice  about 
the  way  to  get  an  education.  Said  the  doctor  : 

“The  way  of  the  world  now  is  for  you  to  look 
about  and  see  who  will  help  you  to  get  it.  That  is  not 
the  right  way.  Look  about  and  see  what  you  can  do 
to  help  yourself.  Grind  your  own  axe.  Support  your- 
self by  honorable  industry,  and  earn  your  bread  while 
you  improve  the  odds  and  ends  of  time  in  study. 
When  you  get  something  ahead,  use  it  to  support  your- 
self while  you  learn.  Ten  thousand  men  are  now 
serving  their  generation  with  usefulness  and  honor  who 
never  asked  anybody  to  grind  an  axe  for  them.” 

Many  are  asking  how  boys  and  girls  can  be  en- 
couraged to  begin  and  complete  a course  of  study. 
One  suggests  the  founding  of  scholarships.  Another, 
the  obtaining  of  State  aid.  But  why  cannot  young 
men,  and  young  women  too,  earn  for  themselves  their 
education  ! Says  a leading  educator:  “We  have  tried 
it,  and  with  success.  Some  of  the  very  best  students 
we  have  had  have  in  large  part  paid  their  way  by  their 
own  exertions. 

“Give  a boy  a practicable  way  to  help  himself,  and 
if  he  is  worthy  to  succeed,  he  will  succeed,  and  learn 
self-reliance  in  the  process.  The  young  man  with  but  a 

vague  desire  to  know,  needs  encouragement  to  start. 

21 


322 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


When  he  has  begun,  his  longing  to  know  more  will  be 
incentive  enough  for  perseverance.  Direct  pecuniary 
aid  I do  not  favor  ; a scheme  to  aid  young  men  to  help 
themselves  I most  heartily  endorse,  and  believe  that  in 
it  lies  the  hope  for  a better  educated  laity,  aud  a more 
effective  ministry.” 

If  you  are  ever  to  be  anything  you  must  make  a 
beginning ; and  you  must  make  it  yourself.  The 
world  is  getting  too  practical  to  help  drones,  and  push 
them  along,  when  there  is  a busy  hive  of  workers  who, 
if  anything,  live  too  fast.  You  must  lift  up  your  own 
feet,  and  if  you  have  a pair  of  clogs  on  which  clatter 
about  your  heels,  they  will  soon  be  worn  off  and  left 
behind  in  the  dusty  pathway.  Mark  out  the  line  which 
you  prefer;  let  truth  be  the  object-glass — honesty  the 
surveying  chain;  and  eminence  the  level  with  which 
you  lay  out  your  field ; and  thus  prepared,  with  pru- 
dence on  one  arm  and  perseverance  on  the  other,  you 
need  fear  no  obstacle.  Do  not  be  afraid  to  take  the 
first  step.  Boldness  will  beget  assurance  and  the  first 
step  will  bring  you  so  much  nearer  the  second.  But 
if  your  first  step  should  break  down,  try  again.  It 
will  be  surer  and  safer  by  the  trial.  Besides,  if  you 
never  move,  you  will  never  know  your  own  power.  A 
man  standing  still  and  declaring  his  inability  to  walk, 
without  making  the  effort,  would  be  a general  laughing- 
stock ; and  so,  morally,  is  the  man,  in  our  opinion,  who 
will  not  test  his  own  moral  and  intellectual  power  ; and 
then  gravely  informs  us  that  he  has  “ no  genius,”  or 
“ no  talent,”  or  “ no  capacity.”  A man  with  seeing 


SELF  HELPS. 


eyes  keeping  them  shut,  and  complaining  that  he  can- 
not see,  is  the  trumpeter  of  his  own  imbecility. 

Every  human  being  has  a character  of  his  own, 
which  he  is  not  to  change  or  mould  into  that  of  an- 
other, but  to  develop  and  exalt  into  the  highest  form 
of  which  he  is  capable.  He  has  duties  which  no  one 
else  can  perform,  an  influence  which  no  one  else  can 
wield,  and  a conscience  with  which  nothing  else  must 
conflict.  Nothing  is  more  fatal  to  strength  of  mind 
than  to  part  with  our  individuality,  or  to  try  to  fashion 
ourselves  upon  another’s  model.  Self-reliance  is  per- 
fectly compatible  with  humanity.  The  more  we  hon- 
estly feel  our  deficiencies,  the  more  necessity  do  we 
find  for  personal  efforts.  We  can  do  for  ourselves 
what  no  other  person  can  do  for  us,  and  if  we  rever- 
ence our  moral  natures,  and  use  all  external  influence 
as  a means  of  quickening  our  internal  energy, 
strengthening  our  faculties,  and  developing  the  best 
that  is  in  us,  society  will  have  fulfilled  her  true  end  for 
us,  in  exalting  the  individual  nature  which  she  too 
often  depresses. 

Don’t  be  whining  about  not  having  a fair  chance. 
Throw  a sensible  man  out  of  a window  and  he’ll  fall 
on  his  feet,  and  ask  the  nearest  way  to  his  work.  The 
more  you  have  to  begin  with,  the  less  you  will  have  in 
the  end.  Money  you  earn  yourself  is  much  brighter 
than  any  you  get  out  of  dead  men’s  bags.  A scant 
breakfast  in  the  morning  of  life  whets  the  appetite  for 
a feast  later  in  the  day.  He  who  has  tasted  a sour 
apple  will  have  the  more  relish  for  a sweet  one.  Your 
present  want  will  make  future  prosperity  all  the 


324 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


sweeter.  Eighteenpence  has  set  up  many  a peddler 
in  business,  and  he  has  turned  it  over  until  he  has  kept 
his  carriage.  As  for  the  place  you  are  cast  in,  don’t 
find  fault  with  that;  you  need  not  be  a horse  because 
you  were  born  in  a stable.  If  a bull  tossed  a man  of 
metal  sky-high,  he  would  drop  down  into  a good  place. 
A hard-working  young  man  with  his  wits  about  him  will 
make  money  while  others  will  do  nothing  but  lose  it. 

There  is  nothing  which  so  adds  to  the  treasures  of 
the  mind  and  increases  its  power  as  its  own  thinking. 
Learn  to  think  for  yourself.  It  is  all  very  well  to  hear 
and  to  read  the  wisdom  of  others.  But  one  should 
not  let  this  take  the  place  of  his  own  thought.  Many 
persons  are  like  cisterns,  they  are  good  to  hold  the 
thoughts  of  others.  But  when  the  time  comes  that 
they  are  forced  to  rely  on  themselves,  they  have  no 
power  to  do  so.  The  outside  supply  is  cut  off  and  the 
cistern  runs  dry.  But  if  one,  like  the  river,  is  con- 
stantly fed  by  his  own  springs,  then,  as  the  learning  of 
others  comes  to  him,  it  unites  with  his  own  waters  and 
the  stream  widens  and  deepens. 

The  only  cure  for  indolence  is  work;  the  only  cure 
for  selfishness  is  sacrifice;  the  only  cure  for  unbelief  is 
to  shake  off  the  ague  of  doubt  by  doing  Christ’s  bid- 
ding ; the  only  cure  for  timidity  is  to  plunge  into  some 
dreaded  duty  before  the  chill  comes  on.  yEsop  tells 
us  of  a countryman  who  was  carelessly  driving  his 
wagon  along  a miry  lane,  when  his  wheels  stuck  so 
deep  in  the  clay  that  the  horses  came  to  a stand-still. 
Upon  this  the  man,  without  making  the  least  effort  of 
his  own,  began  to  call  upon  Hercules  to  come  and 


SELF  HELPS. 


325 


help  him  out  of  his  trouble.  But  Hercules  bade  him 
lay  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel,  assuring  him  that  heaven 
only  aided  those  who  endeavored  to  help  themselves. 
It  is  in  vain  to  expect  our  prayers  to  be  heard  if  we 
do  not  strive  as  well  as  pray. 

The  child  learns  to  walk  by  walking,  so  you  must 
learn  to  live  nobly  only  by  acting  nobly  on  all  occasions. 
As  he  who  practices  in  shallow  waters  will  not  learn 
to  swim  nor  have  strength  to  breast  the  wave,  so,  if 
you  practice  only  in  avoiding  trials,  your  heart  will 
never  have  strength  for  the  greater  troubles.  Your 
life  must  be  a contest  with  self  and  evil.  In  this  you 
must  be  the  victor  or  go  down. 

There  is  a fixed  connection  between  what  a man 
admires  and  what  he  is  ; and  remembering  this  great 
principle,  you  can  decide  for  yourselves  whether  you 
are  advancing  in  character,  or  retrograding,  by  com- 
paring the  objects  of  your  admiration  in  the  past  with 
those  in  the  present. 

There  is  scarcely  anything  of  greater  importance 
to  a young  man  than  that  he  should  acquire  early  the 
habit  of  regular  application  to  some  pursuit.  Many 
persons  who  are  not  of  an  indolent  nature  live  on, 
from  day  to  day,  from  month  to  month,  from  year  to 
year,  without  accomplishing  anything  worth  while. 
They  wonder  that  others  are  successful  and  they  are 
not ; that  others  progress  and  they  remain  stationary. 
The  difficulty  with  them  is  that  although  they  are  not 
particularly  averse  to  labor,  they  have  never  learnt 
how  to  work  to  advantage.  They  have  never  formed 
the  habit  of  regular,  systematic  application.  Desultory 


326 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  merely  impulsive  efforts  are  attended  by  very  in- 
sufficient and  unsatisfactory  results.  The  first  requisite 
is  to  know  what  you  want  to  accomplish.  Have  some 
purpose — some  plan.  Then  see  to  it  that  the  sun  does 
not  set  on  a day  in  which  something  has  not  been  done 
to  carry  forward  that  plan — to  promote  that  purpose. 
Have,  so  far  as  possible,  regular  hours  of  work,  and 
let  no  light  interruption  interfere  with  them.  If  you 
take  a day’s  recreation,  be  sure  that  on  the  morrow 
you  promptly  resume  your  work,  and  give  to  it  the 
benefit  of  refreshed  strength  and  renewed  vigor. 

At  the  end  of  every  week,  regularly  review  your 
work.  Consider  just  how  much  you  have  accom- 
plished. If  you  are  satisfied  with  what  you  have  done, 
it  will  bring  to  you  a feeling  of  repose  and  content. 
If  you  find  you  should  have  clone  more,  then  make 
sure  that  the  coming  week  shall  show  an  improvement 
on  the  past.  Finally,  let  nothing — no  matter  what — 
daunt  or  discourage  you.  Glory  in  a resolute  and  in- 
vincible will! 

If  all  the  young  men  now  coming  on  the  stage 
would  scrupulously  observe  these  instructions,  what  an 
increase  of  success  and  of  happiness  there  would  be! 


SELF-EDUCATION. 


327 


Self  Gdugation. 

Ideas  go  booming  through  the  world  louder  than  cannon;  thoughts 
are  mightier  than  armies. 

Take  care  of  your  minds.  If  you  do  not  store 
them  with  useful  information,  to  quicken  and  sharpen 
your  intellect  by  making  the  most  of  good  books  and 
valuable  lessons,  your  minds  will  soon  become  vain, 
idle,  frivolous  and  good  for  nothing. 

Perhaps  you  have  had  but  little  schooling.  You 
have  had  to  begin  work  early.  Then,  you  must  teach 
yourself.  You  must  be  your  own  master,  and  your 
own  scholar — a self-educator ; and  history  furnishes  so 
many  encouraging  examples  of  self-made  men,  that 
you  have  nothing  to  fear.  You  may  become  a great 
statesman,  like  Franklin;  a great  poet,  like  Burns;  a 
great  inventor,  like  Stephenson;  a great  discoverer, 
like  Livingston  ; a great  scholar,  like  Burritt;  only, 
take  care  of  your  minds. 

Many  of  the  greatest  thinkers  and  most  useful  men 
are  not  college  bred.  Education  is  not  learning;  it  is 
the  exercise  and  development  of  the  powers  of  the 
mind.  There  are  two  great  methods  by  which  this 
end  may  be  accomplished;  it  may  be  done  in  the  halls 
of  learning;  it  is  more  often  done  in  the  conflicts  of 
life. 

Self-culture  is  self-education;  and,  with  few  ex- 
ceptions, the  great  men  of  America,  if  not  of  the 
world,  have  been  self-made  men.  And  moreover,  if 


328  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

we  do  not  educate  ourselves  aright,  other  persons,  .and 
other  influences,  will  not  fail  to  educate  us  wrong,  for 
whether  we  attend  to  it  or  not,  the  educating  process 
must  go  on. 

These  self-taught  men  are  generally  those  whose 
situation  in  life  renders  it  difficult  for  them  to  grain 
access  to  our  halls  of  learning,  but  who,  determined 
to  rise  from  their  humble  sphere,  have,  by  arduous 
toil  and  persevering  research,  gradually  elevated  them- 
selves in  the  scale  of  intelligence,  and  gained  honorable 
niches  in  the  temple  of  Science.  It  is  to  examples  so 
rare  that  fame  points  proudly.  Theirs  are  the  names 
most  often  heard  in  the  blasts  of  her  “silver  bugle.” 

Happy  it  is  for  them  that  the  doors  of  a university 
have  been  closed  against  them  ; by  being  obliged  to 
depend  upon  their  own  strength  they  have  learned  a 
lesson  of  self-reliance  which  they  can  never  forget. 
Self-culture  has  called  forth  the  hidden  energies  of  the 
soul,  and  fitted  its  votaries  to  become  the  pillars  and 
bulwarks  of  society.  It  has  taught  them  that  man  is 
not  a “ leaning  willow,”  but  a being  “ noble  in  reason 
and  infinite  in  faculties:”  that  he  must  not  rely  wholly 
on  foreign  aid,  but  must  task  his  own  powers,  and  be 
able  fully  to  measure  his  own  abilities.  This  resolute 
spirit,  though  latent,  can,  when  fanned  into  a flame, 
lead  him  through  every  trying  emergency,  and  teach 
him  to  remove  obstacle  after  obstacle,  till  the  path  lies 
open  to  the  goal  of  his  ambition,  the  proudest  pinnacle 
of  science. 

Philosophers  have  racked  their  wit  and  wisdom  to 
distinguish  man  from  “ other  animals  ” by  some  single 


SELF-EDUCATION. 


329 


and  infallible  mark.  But  to  us  it  seems  sufficient  to 
say,  man  is  a being  capable  of  self-culture.  This 
power  at  once  separates  him  from  the  lower  orders, 
and  makes  him  akin  to  higher  existences ; while  its 
exercise  brings  him  more  and  more  on  a level  with  the 
angels,  than  which  he  was  originally  created  but  little 
lower.  Thus,  while  the  simple  possession  of  this 
faculty  renders  man  noble,  its  full  cultivation  and 
development  raises  him  still  higher  in  the  scale  of 
being.  As  in  no  country  are  there  greater  opportuni- 
ties for  self-culture  than  in  our  own,  so  in  no  country 
are  there  higher  motives  to  persuade  us  to  improve 
them. 

Drudgery  is  the  school  of  life  with  stern  duty  pre- 
siding as  the  master.  It  is  here  that  the  mind  is  trained 
to  clearer  perception  and  wider  views.  Laborious 
training  is  as  much  necessary  for  the  development  of 
the  mind  as  of  the  body.  Such  training  gives  the 
mind  solid,  lasting  strength,  whereby  it  is  enabled  to 
bear  heavy  burdens.  Here,  too,  the  mind  is  taught  to 
labor  with  skill ; as  the  laborer,  in  handling  heavy 
boxes  and  barrels,  soon  learns  by  experience  how  to 
“take  hold”  of  his  burden,  so  here  the  mind  soon 
learns  to  grasp  and  grapple  with  a proposition  in  such 
a way  that  it  readily  yields  to  the  skilled  force  brought 
to  bear  upon  it.  Here  the  mind  comes  to  perceive  its 
own  powers,  to  know  what  it  can  and  cannot  do ; and 
by  sufficient  training  it  is  capable  of  attaining  almost 
anything.  It  is  the  scholar  who  has  spent  years  of 
weary  toil  in  his  study  who  can  see  to  the  bottom  of  a 
proposition  at  a glance.  Do  you  wish  to  produce 


330 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


thoughts  that  shall  carry  with  them  the  force  of  the 
heavy  boulder  rushing  down  from  its  place  on  the 
mountain  crag?  Then  train  well  your  mind  in  the 
school  of  drudgery.  Do  you  wish  to  frame  sentences 
so  beautiful,  so  grand,  so  moving  that  they  will  set 
men’s  souls  on  fire?  Then  be  willing  to  toil  over 
words  until  the  head  aches  of  weariness. 

It  is  in  this  school  that  the  heart  is,  trained.  One 
of  the  grandest  lessons  ever  learned  in  this  life  is  to 
“learn  to  labor  and  to  wait.”  There  is  no  way  in 
which  this  lesson  can  be  so  well  learned  as  by  laboring 
and  waiting ; do  the  hard  work  of  life  and  look  and 
hope  for  better  things. 

A dull  axe  never  loves  grindstones,  but  a keen 
workman  does;  and  he  puts  his  tools  on  them  in  order 
that  they  may  be  sharp.  And  men  do  not  like  grind- 
ing; but  they  are  dull  for  purposes  which  God  designs 
to  work  out  with  them,  and  therefore  he  is  grinding 
them. 

There  is  no  school  like  God’s  large  school-house. 
And  there  are  no  school-days  to  compare  with  the  three- 
score and  ten  years  in  which  we  move  to  and  fro  about 
this  school-house  of  our  Father,  with  our  books  not 
slung  over  our  shoulder,  but  carried  in  the  heart.  Ex- 
perience is  the  Lord’s  school,  and  they  who  are  taught 
by  him  usually  learn  by  the  mistakes  they  make  that 
they  have  no  wisdom,  and  by  the  slips  and  falls  they 
meet  with  that  they  have  no  strength. 

Every  person  has  two  educations — one  which  he 
receives  from  others,  and  one,  more  important,  which 
he  gives  himself.  There  is  no  kind  of  knowledge 


SELF-EDUCATION. 


331 


which,  in  the  hands  of  the  diligent  and  skilful,  will  not 
turn  to  account.  Honey  exudes  from  all  flowers,  the 
bitter  not  excepted ; and  the  bee  knows  how  to  ex- 
tract it.  He  who  has  not  mastered  himself,  by  whom 
can  he  not  be  overcome  ? 

Begin  the  education  of  the  heart,  not  with  the 
cultivation  of  noble  propensities,  but  with  the  cutting 
away  of  those  that  are  evil.  When  once  the  noxious 
herbs  are  withered  and  rooted  out,  then  the  more 
noble  plants,  strong  in  themselves,  will  shoot  upwards. 
The  virtues,  like  the  body,  become  strong  and  healthy 
more  by  labor  than  nourishment. 

Begin  early  in  life  to  collect  libraries  of  your  own. 
Begin,  if  necessary,  with  a single  book  ; and  when  you 
find  or  hear  of  any  first-rate  book,  obtain  it  if  you  can. 
After  a while  get  another,  as  you  are  able,  and  be  sure 
to  read  it.  In  this  way,  when  you  are  men,  you  will 
have  good  libraries  in  your  heads  as  well  as  on  your 
shelves. 

We  advise  all  young  people  to  acquire  in  early  life 
the  habit  of  using  good  language,  both  in  speaking 
and  writing,  and  also  to  abandon  the  use  of  slang 
words  and  phrases.  The  longer  they  live,  the  more 
difficult  the  acquisition  of  good  language  will  be,  and 
if  the  golden  age  of  youth — the  proper  time  for  the 
acquisition  of  language — be  passed  in  its  abuse,  the 
unfortunate  victim  of  neglected  education  is  very  pro- 
bably doomed  to  talk  slang  for  life.  Money  is  not 
necessary  to  procure  this  education.  Every  man  has 
it  in  his.  power.  He  has  merely  to  use  the  language 


332 


WELL-SPRINGS  UK  TRUTH. 


which  he  reads,  instead  of  the  slang  which  he  hears ; 
to  form  his  taste  from  the  best  speakers  and  poets  of 
the  country ; to  treasure  up  choice  phrases  in  his 
memory,  and  habituate  himself  to  their  use,  avoiding 
at  the  same  time  that  pedantic  precision  and  bombast 
which  show  rather  the  weakness  of  vain  ambition  than 
the  polish  of  an  educated  mind. 

A “ liberal  education  ” is  a capital  thing,  and  the 
thousands  of  young  men  who  are  now  honored  with 
the  title  of  A.  B.  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  the 
good  fortune  which  has  permitted  them  to  acquire  the 
mental  discipline  resulting  from  a four-years’  course 
of  academic  study.  But  these  young  men  must  not 
make  the  mistake  of  supposing  that  this  discipline  is 
an  all-sufficient  preparation  for  the  higher  callings  of 
life.  That  is,  the  young  men  who  propose  to  enter 
any  of  the  branches  of  professional  life,  for  instance, 
must  not  imagine  that  the  fact  of  their  having  a college 
education  will  permit  them  to  -leap  to  the  top  rung 
of  the  ladder  at  once.  The  discipline  they  have  is 
valuable,  but  chiefly  so  as  a basis  for  the  acquirement 
of  practical  knowledge,  without  which  success  is  im- 
possible. By  practical  knowledge  we  mean  acquaint- 
ance with  the  minutiae  or  little  details  which  go  to 
make  up  all  occupations.  Such  knowledge  a college 
education  cannot  give,  and  is  not  intended  to  give. 
It  is  only  to  be  acquired  by  patient  application.  The 
discipline  of  the  college  curriculum  must  be  supple- 
mented by  another  kind  of  discipline,  namely,  the  dis- 
cipline of  drudgery.  No  one,  however  largely  en- 


THE  BEST  BOOKS. 


333 


dowed  with  mental  power,  can  be  exempted  from  the 
necessity  of  acquiring  this  discipline.  It  is  far  more 
essential  to  success  than  the  discipline  furnished  by  a 
college  course. 

She  Best  Bodies. 

Life  is  far  too  short  to  read  every  attractive  book* 
Could  we  present  a list  of  good  books  which  it  would 
benefit  every  young  person  to  read,  not  one  tenth  of 
the  number  could  be  read.  Our  advice  would  be, 
trust  to  the  judgment  of  your  friends,  who  are  older 
and  have  wider  knowledge.  Never  spend  your  time  in 
reading  a book  concerning  which  you  know  nothing 
favorable.  Never  read  any  book  whose  moral  tone  is 
objectionable. 

Good  books  are  better  friends  than  good  men.  A 
good  book  faces  you  with  its  opinions  in  black  and 
white,  while  a good  man  sometimes,  however  unwit- 
tingly, vilifies  and  vilipends  you  at  your  back. 

The  influence  of  true  literature  is  always  ennobling. 
Reed,  in  his  beautiful  work  on  “ English  Literature,” 
defines  literature  to  be  whatever  commends  itself  to 
the  heart  and  mind,  of  mankind  at  large.  Such  are  the 
works  of  Homer,  Virgil,  Shakespeare,  Milton,  Bunyan, 
Scott,  Goethe,  Dickens,  Tennyson,  Longfellow,  and 
many  other  writers,  who  will  doubtless  be  read  and 
admired  all  over  the  world  to  the  end  of  time.  How 
it  strengthens  our  love  for  our  fellow-man  to  know 
that  in  every  land  and  in  every  clime,  minds  and  hearts 


334 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


are  so  much  alike  that  they  respond  in  unison  to  the 
master  touch  of  genius!  How  it  thrills  us  in  reading, 
to  find  our  own  thoughts  suddenly  brought  before  us 
by  some  great  writer,  clothed  in  such  words  as  we 
could  never  utter ! But  we  know  that  we  are  akin  to 
him,  for  does  not  heart  answer  to  heart,  and  mind  to 
mind,  as  we  see  before  us  a transcript  of  our  own 
thoughts? — thoughts  which  may  have  been  so  vague 
and  fleeting  as  to  elude  farther  search  for  them — but 
here  they  are;  we  have  found  them  at  last,  clothed  in 
enduring  beauty,  and  made  palpable  by  the  genius  of 
another. 

Who  can  read  standard  literature,  who  can  hold 
converse  with  the  great  writers  without  feeling  his 
better  nature  ennobled  and  strengthened?  How  we 
learn  to  love  the  authors  through  their  books — to  feel 
an  interest  in  all  that  concerned  their  every-day  lives 
— and,  how  earnestly  we  hope  to  meet  them  and 
spend  whole  days  in  their  company  in  the  better  land! 

Books  are  good  or  bad,  according  to  the  effect 
which  they  have  upon  the  minds  of  the  readers. 
Especially  is  this  true  of  works  of  fiction.  Too  much 
light  literature  is  not  good  for  any  one,  but  a judicious 
number  of  well  selected  novels,  properly  read,  will 
prove  a source  of  both  instruction  and  entertainment. 
The  tales  of  Walter  Scott,  for  instance,  will  kindle  the 
imagination  and  fire  the  heart  with  a love  of  the  beau- 
tiful in  nature  and  the  good  and  true  among  mankind. 

Printers  and  publishers  of  namby-pamby  books,  of 
evil  and  outrageous  works,  of  flashy  novels,  of  “ Pirates’ 
Own  Books,”  of  sensational  works  of  all  kinds,  and 


THE  BEST  BOOKS. 


335 


the  spawn  of  “ Sunday  ” goocl-Lord-and-good-devil 
periodicals,  are  sending  out  thousands  if  not  millions 
of  enticing  sheets,  full  of  gaudy,  attractive,  deceptive 
pictures,  in  whole  or  in  half  sheets,  with  stories  ending 
in  such  a way  as  to  entrap  the  young  and  ignorant  to 
send  for  future  numbers,  bating  them  on  (like  fish 
near  the  hook)  to  obtain  one  mawkish,  miserable, 
devilish  thing  after  another. 

Some  of  these  books  or  periodicals  profess  great 
good,  and  really  have  some  pure  and  sensible  read- 
ing, yet  on  the  whole  are  most  injurious  and  de- 
structive. 

But  this  presence  of  some  proper  and  even  whole- 
some matter  is  where  the  evil  lies.  One  dead  fly 
spoils  the  ointment.  Who  would  give  his  child  a stick 
of  candy  in  which  was  hid  a grain  of  deadly  poison? 
Who  will  buy  for  his  family  a sack  of  flour  in  which 
lies  concealed  a dose  of  arsenic?  And  just  so  danger- 
ous, yet  so  disguised  is  many  a book,  magazine,  or 
paper  wherein  is  some  matter  good  enough  in  itself,  but 
yet  a decoy  for  some  picture,  story,  anecdote,  hint  or 
advertisement  that  is  demoralizing,  indecent,  dishonest, 
or  of  a debasing  and  injurious  tendency. 

Some  parents  and  guardians  are  criminally  care- 
less in  this  respect.  They  permit  children  to  receive, 
buy  and  send  for  corrupting  yet  enticing  and  specious 
printed  matter,  which  the  enemy  of  all  good  and  his 
dupes  and  emissaries  issue,  secretly,  or  more  or  less 
openly.  Their  cunning  is  diabolical,  and  they  injure 
many  young  men  and  maidens  of  the  best  families. 

“ If,”  said  the  late  Daniel  Webster  to  a friend. 


336 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


“ religious  books  are  not  widely  circulated  among  the 
masses  in  this  country,  and  the  people  do  not  become 
religious,  I do  not  know  what  is  to  become  of  us  as  a 
nation.”  And  the  thought  is  one  to  cause  solemn 
reflection  on  the  part  of  every  patriot  and  Christian. 
If  truth  be  not  diffused,  error  will  be;  if  God  and  his 
word  are  not  known  and  received,  the  devil  and  his 
works  will  gain  the  ascendency;  if  the  evangelical 
volume  does  not  reach  every  hamlet,  the  pages  of  a 
corrupt  and  licentious  literature  will;  if  the  power  of 
the  gospel  is  not  felt  through  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land,  anarchy  and  misrule,  degradation  and 
misery,  corruption  and  drunkenness  will  reign  without 
mitigation  or  end. 

The  flooding  of  the  land  with  dime  novels  and  with 
infamous  periodicals  of  the  cheaper  and  coarser  kind 
acts  like  Circe’s  enchantment  on  wide  circles  of  youth. 
No  doubt  it  is  a frequent  incitement  to  crime,  and, 
on  the  whole,  is  one  of  the  most  monstrous  of  the  un- 
disguised evils  in  the  modern  days  of  cheap  printing. 
Let  a boy  learn  that  some  publications  are  not  fit  to  be 
handled  with  the  tongs.  Let  parents  exclude  from  the 
family  mansion  the  frogs  and  vipers  that  swarm  forth 
from  the  oozy  marshes  of  the  Satanic  press.  Let  the 
dull  boy  make  the  acquaintance  of  Cooper,  Scott, 
Defoe  and  “Pilgrim’s  Progress” — a book  by  no  means 
outgrown.  Personally  I must  confess  great  indebted- 
ness to  the  “Rollo”  books,  the  “Jonas”  books  and 
“The  Young  Christian.” 

Over  every  library-case  should  stand  the  words 
“Avoid  rubbish.”  A second-rate  book,  however  good,. 


THE  BEST  BOOKS. 


337 


is  a mischief  if  it  occupies  the  time  we  ought  to  devote 
to  a first-rate.  In  regard  to  reading,  as  well  as  to  much 
else,  there  is  deep  wisdom  in  a German  proverb  which 
asserts  that  the  better  is  a great  enemy  of  the  best. 

To  the  “ Poor  Clerk,”  muscle  is  cheap,  brains  are 
dear.  Men  make  a mistake  in  supposing  they  have  a 
natural,  inalienable  right  to  “enjoyment  and  pleasure 
in  this  life,”  or  to  friends.  You  must  earn  them.  If 
you  play  billiards  or  smoke,  stop  it  for  a week  or  two, 
and  with  the  savings  buy  Samuel  Smiles’  “Self  Help,” 
or,  a more  readable  book,  perhaps,  but  less  profitable 
to  you,  Mathews’  “Getting  on  in  the  World,”  and, 
after  you  have  read  either  or  both,  get  Smiles’  “Thrift,” 
Then  if  possible,  get  “The  Royal  Path  of  Life,”  and 
make  it  your  every-day  companion.  Another  book 
that  every  young  man  should  possess  is  called  “ The 
Business  Man’s  Bible.”  The  proverbs  of  Solomon 
are  the  best  guide  to  wisdom  in  business  matters  that 
can  be  found.  The  home  ought  no  more  to  be  with- 
out a library  than  without  a dining-room  and  kitchen. 
This  does  not  require  capital,  only  time  and  forecast ; 
there  are  now  cheap  editions  of  the  best  books.  At 
first  buy  only  books  that  you  want  immediately  to 
read.  Reference  books  are  an  exception;  these  are 
the  foundations  of  a good  library.  Exercise  a choice 
in  editions ; the  lowest  priced  are  not  always  the 
cheapest.  Have  a place  for  your  library. 

A good  book,  whether,  a novel  or  not,  is  one  that 
leaves  you  farther  on  than  when  you  took  it  up.  If 
when  you  drop  it,  it  drops  you  down  in  the  same  old 

spot,  with  no  finer  outlook,  no  cleared  vision;  no 
22 


338 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


stimulated  desires  for  that  which  is  better  and  higher, 

o 1 

it  is  in  no  sense  a good  book. 

Next  to  traveling  and  seeing  new  scenes  and  peo- 
ples and  customs  for  oneself,  we  know  of  no  better 
diversion,  or  one  more  healthful  and  recuperating  to 
the  mind  and  heart,  than  the  reading  of  some  of  the 
excellent  books  of  travel  which  some  of  those  more 
fortunate  people  who  have  travelled  with  keen  obser- 
vation have  written  for  us.  A multitude  of  such  books, 
worthy  of  every  one’s  attention,  have  been  given  to 
the  world. 


What  a dull,  plodding,  trampling,  clanking  world 
the  ordinary  intercourse  of  society  would  be  without 
wit  to  enliven  and  brighten  it ! When  two  men  meet 
they  seem  to  be  kept  at  bay  through  the  estranging 
effects  of  absence,  until  some  sportive  sally  opens  their 
hearts  to  each  other.  Nor  does  anything  spread  cheer- 
fulness so  rapidly  over  a whole  party  or  assemblage 
of  people,  however  large.  Reason  expands  the  soul 
of  the  philosopher,  imagination  glorifies  the  poet,  and 
breathes  a breath  of  spring  through  the  young  and 
genial;  but  if  we  take  into  account  the  numberless 
glances  and  gleams  whereby  wit  lightens  our  every 
day,  hardly  any  power  ministers  so  bountifully  to  the 
innocent  pleasures  of  mankind. 

Speaking  of  wit,  Hannah  More  remarks : “ A 

woman  who  possesses  this  quality  has  received  a most 


Wisdom  and 


WIT,  WISDOM  AND  HUMOR.  339 

dangerous  present,  perhaps  not  less  so  than  beauty 
itself ; especially  if  it  be  not  sheathed  in  a temper 
peculiarly  inoffensive,  chastened  by  a most  correct 
judgment,  and  restrained  by  more  prudence  than  falls  to 
the  common  lot.  But  those  who  actually  possess  this 
rare  talent,  cannot  be  too  abstinent  in  the  use  of  it. 
It  often  makes  admirers,  but  it  never  makes  friends.” 

The  meaning  of  an  extraordinary  man  is,  that  he  is 
eight  men,  not  one  man  ; that  he  has  as  much  wit  as 
if  he  had  no  sense,  and  as  much  sense  as  if  he  had  no 
wit;  that  his  conduct  is  as  judicious  as  if  he  were  the 
dullest  of  human  beings  and  his  imagination  as 
brilliant  as  if  he  were  irretrievably  ruined.  But  when 
wit  is  combined  with  sense  and  information ; when  it 
is  softened  by  benevolence,  and  restrained  by  strong 
principle ; when  it  is  in  the  hands  of  a man  who  can 
use  it  and  despise  it,  who  can  be  witty  and  something 
much  better  than  witty,  who  loves  honor,  justice, 
decency,  good-nature,  morality  and  religion  ten 
thousand  times  better  than  wit; — wit  is  then  a beauti- 
ful part  of  our  nature. 

There  is  no  more  interesting  spectacle  than  to  see 
the  effects  of  wit  upon  the  different  characters  of  men ; 
than  to  observe  it  expanding  caution,  relaxing  dignity, 
unfreezing  coldness — teaching  age  and  care  and  pain 
to  smile,  extorting  reluctant  gleams  of  pleasure  from 
melancholy,  and  charming  even  the  pangs  of  grief. 
It  is  pleasant  to  observe  how  it  penetrates  through 
the  coldness  and  awkwardness  of  society,  gradually 
bringing  men  nearer  together,  and,  like  the  combined 
force  of  wine  and  oil,  giving  every  man  a glad  heart  and 


340 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


a shining  countenance.  Genuine  and  innocent  wit  like 
this  is  surely  the  flavor  of  the  mind!  Man  could  direct 
his  ways  by  plain  reason,  and  support  his  life  by  tasteless 
food ; but  God  has  given  us  wit,  and  flavor,  and 
laughter,  and  perfumes,  to  enliven  the  days  of  man’s 
pilgrimage,  and  to  “charm  his  painful  steps  over  the 
burning  marl.” 

Stearne  says:  “I  live  in  a constant  endeavor  to  fence 
against  the  infirmities  of  ill-health,  and  other  evils  of 
life,  by  mirth.  I am  persuaded  that  every  time  a man 
smiles — but  much  more  so  when  he  laug-hs — it  adds 
something  to  this  fragment  of  life.”  The  humorous 
man  usually  enjoys  a sound  body  and  lives  a longlife. 
“ Laugh  and  grow  fat  ” is  genuine  and  practical 
philosophy. 

Some  people  have  no  appreciation  of  humor.  We 
say  they  are  not  quick-witted.  We  have  all  read 
about  the  man  who  heard  his  friend’s  joke  in  perfect 
soberness,  and  half  an  hour  later,  when  the  subject 
was  forgotten  and  the  company  were  engaged  in 
serious  conversation,  he  burst  out  in  uncontrollable 
laughter,  to  the  surprise  and  annoyance  of  those 
about  him. 

How  naturally  these  qualities — wit,  wisdom  and 
humor, — fit  each  other,  and  with  the  presence  of  one 
we  naturally  expect  the  other.  Wisdom  is  counted 
above  rubies,  and  while  it  may  not  contribute  so  largely 
to  immediate  pleasure  as  wit,  it  is  far  more  abiding 
and  durable,  as  well  as  more  useful.  Good  humor 
tempers  and  strengthens  the  value  of  the  others. 

The  following  sarcastic  rules  for  behavior  are  said 


WIT,  WISDOM  AND  HUMOR. 


341 


by  Goldsmith  to  have  been  drawn  up  by  an  indignant 
philosopher : — 

1.  “If  you  be  a rich  man,  you  may  enter  the 
room  with  three  loud  hems,  march  deliberately  up  to 
the  chimney,  and  turn  your  back  to  the  lire. 

2.  “ If  you  be  a poor  man,  I would  advise  you  to 
shrink  into  the  room  as  fast  as  you  can,  and  place 
yourself,  as  usual,  upon  a corner  of  a chair,  in  a re- 
mote corner. 

3.  “ If  you  be  young,  and  live  with  an  old  man,  I 
would  advise  you  not  to  like  gravy.  I was  disin- 
herited myself  for  liking  gravy.” 

A friend  of  Dean  Swift’s  one  day  sent  him  a tur- 
bot as  a present,  by  a servant  lad  who  had  frequently 
been  on  similar  errands  but  had  never  received  any- 
thing from  the  dean  for  his  trouble.  Having  gained 
admission,  he  opened  the  study  door  and,  putting  down 
the  fish  on  the  floor,  cried  out  rudely,  “ Master  has  sent 
you  a turbot!” 

“Young  man,”  said  the  dean,  rising  from  his  easy- 
chair,  “ is  that  the  way  you  deliver  a message  ? Let 
me  teach  you  better  manners.  Sit  down  in  my  chair, 
we  will  change  places,  and  I will  show  you  how  to  be- 
have in  future.” 

The  boy  sat  down,  and  the  dean  going  out,  came 
up  to  the  door  and,  making  a low  bow,  said,  “ Sir,  mas- 
ter presents  his  kind  compliments,  hopes  you  are  well 
and  requests  your  acceptance  of  a small  present” 

“Does  he?”  replied  the  boy.  “Return  him  my 
best  thanks,  and  there’s  ha,k  a ovo-t ti.  for  yourself.” 


342 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


The  dean  thus  caught  in  his  own  trap,  laughed 
heartily,  and  gave  the  boy  a crown  for  his  ready  wit. 

Dr.  Malcom,  in  his  work  on  Persia,  says : “ The 
celebrated  Aboo  Yusuph,  who  was  Judge  of  Bagdad  in 
the  reign  of  Caliph  Hadee,  was  a very  remarkable  in- 
stance of  that  humility  which  distinguishes  true  wisdom. 
It  is  related  of  this  judge  that  on  one  occasion,  after  a pa- 
tient investigation  of  facts,  he  declared  that  his  knowl- 
edge was  not  competent  to  decide  upon  the  case 
before  him.  “ Pray  do  you  expect,”  said  a pert  courtier, 
who  heard  this  declaration,  “ that  the  Caliph  is  to 
pay  for  your  ignorance  !”  “ I do  not,”  was  the  mild  re- 
ply ; “ the  Caliph  pays  me,  and  well,  for  what  I do 
know ; if  he  were  to  attempt  to  pay  me  for  what  I do 
not  know,  the  treasures  of  this  Empire  would  not 
suffice.” 

A drunkard  once  reeled  up  to  him  with  the  remark, 
“Mr.  Whitefield,  I am  one  of  your  converts.”  “ I think 
it  very  likely,”  was  the  reply;  “for  I am  sure  you  are 
none  of  God’s.” 

A rather  simple  young  man,  conceited  and  censo- 
rious, while  talking  to  a young  lady  at  a party,  pointed 
towards  a couple  that  he  supposed  to  be  in  an  adjoining 
room,  and  said,  “Just  look  at  that  conceited  young 
prig  ! Isn’t  it  perfectly  absurd  for  such  boys  to  go 
into  society  V 

“ Why,”  exclaimed  his  companion,  “ that  isn’t  a 
door  ; it’s  a mirror.” 

“Will  you  have  some  strawberries?  ” asked  a lady 
of  a guest.  “Yes,  madam,  yes.  I eat  strawberries  with 
enthusiasm.”  “ Do  tell  ? well,  we  haven’t  anything 


WIT,  WISDOM  AND  HUMOR. 


343 


but  cream  and  sugar  for  ’em  this  evening,”  said  the 
matter-of-fact  hostess. 

An  old  Scotch  woman,  who  had  no  relish  for  modern 
church  music,  was  expressing  her  dislike  of  the  singing 
in  her  own  church  one  day,  when  a neighbor  said, 
“ Why,  that  was  a very  old  anthem.  David  sang  that 
anthem  to  Saul.”  To  this  she  replied,  “ Weel,  weel,  I 
noo  for  the  first  time  understand  why  Saul  threw  his 
javelin  at  David  when  the  lad  sang  for  him.” 

Francis  First  being  desirous  to  raise  one  of  the 
most  learned  men  of  the  times  to  the  highest  dignities 
of  the  church,  asked  him  if  he  was  of  noble  descent. 
“Your  majesty,”  answered  the  abbot,  “there  were 
three  brothers  in  Noah’s  ark,  but  I cannot  tell  positively 
from  which  of  them  I am  descended.”  He  obtained 
the  post. 

Two  young  men  out  riding  were  passing  a farm- 
house where  a farmer  was  trying  to  harness  a mule. 
“Won’t  he  draw  ? ” said  one  of  the  horsemen.  “Of 
course  he  will,”  said  the  farmer ; “ he  draws  the 
attention  of  every  fool  that  passes.” 

A gentleman  meeting  one  of  his  friends  who  was 
insolvent,  expressed  great  concern  for  his  embarrass- 
ment. “You  are  mistaken,  my  dear  sir,”  was  the 
reply;  “it  is  not  I — it  is  my  creditors  who  are  em- 
barrassed.” 

A little  girl  once  said  that  she  would  be  very  glad 
to  go  to  heaven,  because  they  had  plenty  of  preserves 
there.  On  being  cross-examined,  she  took  down  her 
catechism,  and  triumphantly  read,  “Why  ought  the 


344 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


saints  to  love  God?  ” “Because  he  makes,  preserves 
and  keeps  them.” 

“Are  you  lost,  my  little  fellow?”  asked  a gentle- 
man of  a four-year-old  boy  one  day,  who  was  crying 
for  his  mother.  “ No,  sir sobbed  the  miniature  man, 
“but  my  mother  is.” 

“You  don’t  know  how  it  pains  me  to  punish  you,” 
said  the  teacher.  “ I guess  there’s  the  most  pain  at 
my  end  of  the  stick,”  replied  the  boy,  feelingly  ; “’tany 
rate  I’d  be  willing  to  swap.” 

A short  time  ago  a little  urchin  in  Westminster  saw 
a shilling  lying  on  the  pavement.  He  no  sooner 
picked  it  up  than  it  was  claimed  by  a carman.  “ Your 
shilling  hadn’t  got  a hole  in  it?  ” said  the  boy  stoutly. 
“Yes,  it  has,”  said  the  rogue  of  a carman.  “Then  this 
’un  aint,”  replied  the  boy,  walking  off  triumphantly. 

Open  your  mouth  and  purse  cautiously,  and  your 
stock  of  wealth  and  reputation  shall,  at  least  in  repute, 
be  great.  He  who  does  not  look  out  for  himself  knows 
not  the  world.  He  who  does  not  look  into  himself  knows 
not  men.  It  is  not  the  height  to  which  men  are  ad- 
vanced that  makes  them  giddy,  but  the  contempt  with 
which  they  look  down  on  those  below  them.  The 
winter’s  frost  must  rend  the  burr  of  the  nut  before  the 
nut  is  seen.  So  adversity  tempers  the  human  heart  to 
discover  its  real  worth. 

It  is  all  very  well  to  be  a promising  youth,  but  the 
hard  part  is  to  keep  your  promise  in  after-life.  The 
earnestness  of  life  is  the  only  passport  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  life.  To  teach  one  who  has  no  curiosity  to 
learn,  is  to  sow  a field  without  plowing  it. 


ATOMS. 


34o 


He  that  can  please  nobody  is  not  so  much  to  be 
pitied  as  he  that  nobody  can  please.  The  pretty  face 
of  a woman  is  like  a clock’s,  not  much  account  unless 
there  are  good  works  back  of  it.  A sociable  man  is 
one  who,  when  he  has  ten  minutes  to  spare,  goes  and 
bothers  somebody  who  hasn’t.  The  lady  who  fell 
back  on  her  dignity  came  near  breaking  it.  The  maple 
tree  is  an  emblem  of  Christian  forbearance.  The  more 
it  is  bored  the  more  sweetness  it  exudes. 


pTOMS. 

Of  how  much  importance  is  an  atom.  It  is  the 
“last  feather  ” that  breaks  the  camel’s  back,  and  so, 
an  atom  may  make  or  mar  a lifetime.  Compare  our 
life  with  that  of  an  insect.  A little  ant  crawls  upon 
the  paper  before  me.  A breath  blows  it  away  and  I 
see  it  no  more.  But  what  becomes  of  it  ? It  is  lodged 
upon  the  ground,  or  some  projection  above  the  ground, 
and  it  again  takes  up  its  active  march.  Whither  is  it 
going?  From  whence  did  it  come?  What  must  be 
the  infinite  love  of  that  great  Creator  who  can  call 
into  being,  and  endow  with  motive  power  and  instinctive 
wisdom,  a myriad  of  such  little  atoms,  moving  about, 
having  a definite  object,  pursuing  that  object  persist- 
ently, and  at  last  laying  down  the  life,  small  though  it 
be,  in  the  completion  of  the  time  allotted  by  that  great 
Creator.  How  small  is  the  greatest  brain  power  of 
man  when  compared  with  the  power  possessed  by  the 


346 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Infinite  mind,  without  whose  permission  not  a hair  of 
your  head  falls. 

Insects  of  various  kinds  may  be  seen  in  the  cavities 
of  a grain  of  sand.  Mould  is  a forest  of  beautiful 
trees,  with  branches,  leaves  and  fruit.  Butterflies 
are  feathered.  Hairs  are  hollow  tubes.  The  surface 
of  our  bodies  is  covered  with  scales  like  a fish  ; a single 
grain  of  sand  would  cover  one  hundred  and  fifty  of 
these  scales,  and  yet  a scale  covers  five  hundred 
pores.  Through  these  narrow  openings  the  per- 
spiration forces  itself  like  water  through  a sieve. 
Each  drop  of  stagnant  water  contains  a world  of 
living  creatures,  swimming  with  as  much  liberty  as 
whales  in  the  sea.  Each  leaf  has  a colony  of  insects 
grazing  on  it  like  cows  on  a meadow.  Yes,  even  the 
ugliest  plant  that  grows  shows  some  remarkable  prop- 
erty when  closely  examined. 

A man  weighing  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  pounds 
contains  one  hundred  and  sixteen  pounds  of  water. 
In  plants  the  proportion  of  water  sometimes  reaches 
ninety-nine  per  cent. 

One  side  of  the  body  tends  to  outwalk  the  other 
side:  with  the  eyes  shut  a person  invariably  walks  to 
the  right.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  one  may  expect  to 
live  forty-eight  years  and  four  months.  There  are 
two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  different  lan- 
guages. The  hair  of  the  Chinese  has  a characteristic 
odor  of  musk,  which  is  so  persistent  that  it  cannot  be 
concealed  by  cosmetics,  nor  can  it  be  destroyed  by 
washing  with  potash. 

It  has  been  estimated  by  the  astronomers  that 


ATOMS. 


347 


there  are  one  hundred  millions  of  stars  now  visible 
through  the  telescope,  which  cannot  be  seen  by  the 
unaided  eye;  and  is  it  not  probable  that  in  the  regions 
of  infinite  space  there  are  countless  worlds  which  man, 
not  even  with  the  assistance  of  the  most  powerful 
magnifying-glasses,  will  ever  behold  ? Far  beyond  the 
reach  of  mortal  vision  they  wheel  on  in  their  rapid 
course,  unseen  save  by  the  eye  of  omnipotence,  or  the 
adoring  angels  and  seraphim  around  the  throne  on 
high.  Countless  are  these  worlds  ; each  doubtless,  has 
its  own  peculiar  orbit,  never  interfering  with  the  motion 
of  another.  The  power  which  placed  them  there  has 
also  appointed  their  bounds,  beyond  which  they  cannot 
pass. 

Notwithstanding  the  seeming  insignificance  of  such 
trinkets  as  beads,  their  history  reveals  some  very  curi- 
ous facts.  For  example,  it  shows  that  the  lowest  order 
of  men  had  beads  composed  of  wood  and  bones,  and 
as  the  race  made  progress  towards  civilization,  there 
was  a corresponding  change  in  the  style,  character  and 
material  of  the  ornaments.  Also  that  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  the  prehistoric  races  of  America  had  any 
method  of  making  glass  ; yet  in  the  mounds  occasional 
glass  beads  are  found,  undoubtedly  of  Venetian  manu- 
facture, showing  some  connection  between  the  conti- 
nents anterior  to  the  time  of  Amerigo  Vespucci.  Also 
that  some  of  the  beads  found  in  Egypt  and  other 
localities,  in  connection  with  mummies,  were  made  of 
jasper,  cornelian  and  garnet,  and  no  knowledge  has 
been  transmitted  to  us  how  the  hole  could  have  been 
made  through  these  exceedingly  hard  stones. 


34§ 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


It  is  estimated  that  there  are  six  thousand  kinds  of 
postage  stamps  in  the  various  countries  of  the  Eastern 
and  Western  Hemispheres.  Among  them  may  be  found 
pictures  of  five  emperors,  eighteen  kings,  three  queens 
and  a large  number  of  presidents.  Some  of  the 
stamps  bear  coats-of-arms,  and  others  such  emblems 
as  crowns,  keys,  anchors,  eagles,  lions,  horses,  railway 
trains  and  other  things.  Pieces  of  linen  are  in  exist- 
ence which  were  woven  four  thousand  years  ago.  The 
ancient  Egyptians  used  modern  locks  with  ’iron  keys. 
The  first  lifeboat  was  made  in  France,  in  the  year  1 777. 
The  first  lighthouse  in  England  was  built  in  a.d.  44, 
during  the  reign  of  Claudius.  The  first  printed  news- 
paper appeared  in  England  in  the  year  1 622,  during  the 
reign  of  James  First.  Newspapers  at  that  time  were 
made  up  in  the  form  of  small  quarto  pamphlets.  Fric- 
tion-matches were  invented  in  1829.  The  first  steam- 
boat in  America  was  made  by  John  Fitch,  and  ran  on 
the  Schuylkill  river  in  1787,  and  was  pronounced  a 
success.  Mr.  Fitch  was  poor  arid  without  influential 
friends,  and  his  schemes  were  laughed  at,  and  he 
finally  died  in  obscurity  and  lies  buried  at  Bardstown, 
Ky.  The  first  steamboat  on  the  Hudson  river  passed 
the  city  of  Hudson,  August  17,  1807.  The  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  was  established  at  Wash- 
ington in  August  1800.  There  are  still  one  thousand 
six  hundred  Indians  in  Massachusetts.  The  great 
plague  broke  out  in  Fondon,  August  22,  1665.  In  five 
weeks  the  deaths  reached  thirty-eight  thousand  one 
hundred  and  ninety-five.  The  “ Marseillaise  Hymn  ” 
was  composed  in  1792  by  Rouget  de  Fisle.  The 


ATOMS. 


349 


earthquake  at  Lisbon  in  1755  killed  thirty  thousand 
people.  It  cost  fifty  million  dollars  to  build  the  docks 
in  Liverpool.  The  first  temperance  society  in  this 
country  was  organized  in  Saratoga  county,  New  York, 
in  March,  1808.  The  Bible  has  been  translated  into 
two  hundred  and  twenty-six  languages  and  dialects, 
and  in  the  last  eighty  years  one  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  millions  of  copies  have  been  printed  and  put 
in  circulation.  This  does  not  look  as  if  the  book, 
or  the  religion  which  it  teaches,  were  likely  to  pass 
from  the  memory  of  the  world.  Rev.  S.  F.  Smith, 
who  wrote  “ My  Country,  ’Tis  of  Thee,”  is  still  living 
in  Newton,  Mass.  He  says  he  wrote  the  verses  on 
a waste  scrap  of  paper  one  dismal  day  in  February, 
1832,  while  at  Andover  Seminary,  and  “had  no  inten- 
tion nor  ambition  to  create  anything  that  should  have 
a national  reputation.” 

Hiddenite  is  the  name  of  a new  gem  of  the  emerald 
class,  of  a beautiful  clear  green  color,  and  worth  about 
the  same  as  a diamond.  It  has  been  found  only  in 
Alexander  county,  N.  C.  Flax  is  a native  of  Persia. 
Cotton  is  a native  of  India,  and  was  brought  to  the 
United  States  in  1789.  Cabbage  is  a native  of  the 
sea-shores  of  Europe.  Indian  corn,  tobacco  and  the 
Irish  potato  are  natives  of  America,  and  were  never 
known  to  the  rest  of  the  world  until  this  land  was  dis- 
covered. Barley  is  supposed  to  be  a native  of  Central 
Asia,  and  is  the  oldest  cultivated  grain,  being  the  corn 
mentioned  in  the  Bible.  The  apple  springs  from  the 
crab-apple,  the  pear  from  the  wild  pear,  a native  of 


350 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Europe  and  Asia.  The  peach  is  a native  of  Persia, 
and  belongs  to  the  almond  family  of  trees. 

Waste  nothing, — neither  time,  money,  talent,  in- 
fluence, nor  opportunity.  Speaking  the  truth  is  easier 
than  lying,  and  you  will  not  then  be  obliged  to  retract 
your  statements.  Men  who  flatter  persons  for  their 
favor  will  finally  slander  them  for  their  faults.  When 
rogues  get  mad  at  each  odier,  honest  men  can  stand 
still  and  accept  the  truth  they  tell.  Honest  poverty  is 
better  than  wicked  wealth.  The  just  find  blessings  in 
the  humblest  lot;  but  curses  will  fly  as  high  as  a wicked 
man  can  climb.  Keep  well  employed,  and  the  hours 
will  move  fast  enough.  What  you  hate  in  others  cor- 
rect in  yourself.  Rule  your  tongue,  or  your  tongue 
will  rule  you.  One  advantage  gained  by  calamities  is, 
to  know  how  to  smypathize  with  others  in  the  like 
troubles. 

One  trouble  makes  us  forget  a thousand  mercies. 
Nothing  keeps  a man  from  knowledge  and  wisdom 
like  thinking  he  has  both.  That  God  is  in  heaven 
makes  death  acceptable ; if  he  were  not,  life  itself 
would  be  unendurable.  Innocence  is  a flower  which 
withers  when  touched,  but  blooms  not  again  though  it 
be  watered  with  tears.  The  true  way  to  advance 
another’s  virtue  is  to  follow  it,  and  the  best  means  to 
cry  down  another’s  vice  is  to  decline  it.  As  threshing 
separates  wheat  from  the  chaff,  so  does  affliction  purify 
virtue.  Who  never  walks  save  where  he  sees  men’s 
tracks  makes  no  discoveries.  Adversity  is  the  trial  of 
principle.  Without  it  a man  hardly  knows  whether  he 
is  honest  or  not.  It  is  one  of  the  worst  of  errors  to 


ATOMS. 


351 


suppose  that  there  is  any  other  path  of  safety  except 
that  of  duty.  The  darkest  hour  in  the  history  of  any 
young  man  is  when  he  sits  down  to  study  how  to  get 
money  without  honestly  earning  it. 

If  you  talk  much,  beware  of  those  who  listen  atten- 
tively. He  is  happy  whose  circumstances  suit  his 
temper:  he  is  more  excellent  who  can  suit  his  temper 
to  circumstances.  Obstinacy  is  the  heroism  of  little 
minds.  Vice  stings  in  pleasure,  but  virtue  consoles  in 
pain.  Man  cannot  become  perfect  in  a hundred  years; 
but  he  can  become  corrupt  in  less  than  a day.  Doc- 
trines are  of  use  only  as  they  are  practiced  ; men  may 
go  to  perdition  with  their  heads  full  of  truth. 

Judge  not  of  a ship  as  she  lies  on  the  stocks.  One 
door  never  shuts,  but  another  opens.  He  who  keeps 
off  the  ice  will  not  slip  through.  Every  sprat  nowa- 
days fancies  itself  a herring.  Better  slip  with  foot 
than  tongue.  Exercise  is  the  best  fire  for  cold  limbs. 
Shrouds  have  no  pockets.  Love  not  the  decanter, 
lest  you  gallop  to  poverty.  Much  laughter,  little  wit. 
A calm  hour  with  God  is  worth  a lifetime  with  man. 
Never  bet  even  a farthing  cake.  Grumbling  makes 
the  loaf  no  larger.  He  lives  longest  who  is  awake 
most  hours.  No  gains  without  pains.  Such  as  ye 
give,  such  shall  ye  get.  Linseys,  paid  for,  keep  out 
cold,  silks  on  credit  soon  grow  ol4,  Overreachers 
overreach  themselves. 


352 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


©RIFLES. 


Trifles  are  the  hinges  of  destiny. 

If  trifles  are  facts,  they  cease  to  be  trivial ; and  in 
these  stirring  times,  when  our  allotted  leisure  is  becom- 
ing so  infinitesimally  small,  the  terse  and  the  epigram- 
matic are  to  be  preferred  to  the  diffuse  and  discursive 
in  our  reading.  It  would  be  temerity  to  appropriate 
to  our  humble  essays  the  witty  analysis  of  a celebrated 
author,  and  pretend  that  they  “ have  profundity 
without  obscurity,  perspicuity  without  prolixity,  orna- 
ment without  glare,  terseness  without  barrenness, 
penetration  without  subtlety,  comprehensiveness  with- 
out digression.” 

Odd  in  their  plan  and  arrangement,  they  contain 
many  odd  sayings  and  selections,  facts  and  fancies 
from  odd  and  out-of-the-way  authors,  and  are  fitted  for 
odd  half-hours. 

The  publication  of  a book  seems  a trivial  occur- 
rence ; but  who  can  tell  the  influence,  either  for  weal 
or  woe,  which  it  may  exert  ? Two  centuries  ago,  within 
the  walls  of  a prison,  was  written  the  immortal  Pil- 
grim’s Progress,  which  now  goes  forth  by  millions  to 
every  quarter  of  the  globe,  leading  multitudes  to  the 
cross  of  Christ. 

A learned  writer  has  said,  “ There  is  nothing  on 
earth  so  small  that  it  may  not  produce  great  things.” 


Planets  govern  not  the  soul,  nor  guide  the  destinies  of  man  : 

But  trifles  lighter  than  straw  are  levers  in  the  building  up  of  character. 


TRIFLES. 


">  r 'j 
O JO 

If  we  had  eyes  adapted  to  the  sight,  we  could  see, 
on  looking  into  the  smallest  seed,  the  future  flower  or 
tree  inclosed  in  it.  God  will  look  into  our  feelings 
and  motives  as  into  seeds  ; by  those  embryos  of  action 
he  will  infallibly  determine  what  we  are,  and  will  show 
what  we  should  have  been,  had  there  been  scope  and 
stage  for  their  development  and  maturity.  Nothing 
will  be  made  light  of.  The  very  dust  of  the  balances 
shall  be  taken  into  account.  It  is  in  the  moral  world 
as  it  is  in  the  natural,  where  every  substance  weighs 
something  ; though  we  speak  of  imponderable  bodies, 
yet  nature  knows  nothing  of  positive  levity  ; and  were 
men  possessed  of  the  necessary  scales,  the  requisite 
instrument,  we  should  find  the  same  holds  true  in  the 
moral  world.  Nothing  is  insignificant  on  which  sin 
has  breathed  the  breath  of  hell ; everything  is  impor- 
tant in  which  holiness  has  impressed  itself  in  the 
painted  characters.  However  unimportant  now  in  the 
estimation  of  men,  yet,  when  placed  in  the  light  of  the 
divine  countenance,  like  the  atom  in  the  sun’s  rays,  it 
shall  be  deserving  attention ; and  as  the  minutest 
molecule  of  matter  contains  all  the  primordial  elements 
of  a world,  so  the  least  atom  of  this  mind  shall  be 
found  to  include  in  it  the  essential  elements  of  heaven. 

Little  words,  not  eloquent  speeches  nor  sermons ; 
little  deeds,  not  miracles  nor  battles,  nor  one  great  act 
or  mighty  martyrdom,  make  up  the  true  Christian  life. 
The  little  constant  sunbeam,  not  the  lightning ; the 
waters  of  Shiloh,  “ that  go  softly  ” on  their  meek 

mission  of  refreshment,  not  the  waters  of  the  river 
23 


354 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


“great  and  mighty,”  rushing  down  in  torrents  with 
noise  and  force,  are  the  true  symbols  of  a holy  life. 

The  avoidance  of  little  evils,  little  sins,  little 
inconsistencies,  little  weaknesses,  little  follies,  little 
indiscretions  and  imprudences,  little  foibles,  and  in- 
dulgences of  self  and  of  the  flesh,  little  acts  of 
indolence,  of  indecision,  or  slovenliness,  or  cowardice, 
little  equivocations  or  aberrations  from  high  integrity, 
little  bits  of  worldliness  and  gaiety,  little  indifferences 
to  the  feelings  or  wishes  of  others,  little  outbreaks  of 
temper,  crossness,  selfishness  and  vanity;  the  avoid- 
ance of  such  little  things  as  these  goes  far  to  make  up  at 
least  the  negative  beauty  of  a holy  life. 

And  then  attention  to  the  little  duties  of  the  day 
and  hour,  in  public  transactions  or  private  dealings 
or  family  arrangements  ; to  the  little  words  and  tones; 
little  benevolences  or  forbearances  or  tendernesses ; 
little  self-denials  and  self-restraints;  little  plans  of 
quiet  kindness  and  thoughtful  consideration  for  others; 
punctuality  and  method,  and  true  aim,  in  the  ordering 
of  each  day — these  are  the  active  developments  of 
a holy  life,  the  rich  and  divine  mosaics  of  which  it  is 
composed. 

The  preciousness  of  little  things  was  never  more 
beautifully  expressed  than  in  the  following:  “Little 
words  are  the  sweetest  to  hear;  little  charities  fly  the 
farthest,  and  stay  the  longest  on  the  wing;  little  lakes 
are  the  stillest ; little  hearts  are  the  fullest ; little  farms 
are  the  best  tilled ; little  books  are  the  most  read,  and 
little  songs  are  the  most  loved.” 

All  sufferings,  all  blessings,  all  ordinances,  all 


TRIFLES. 


355 


graces,  all  common  gifts  — nay,  our  very  falls,  yea, 
Satan  himself,  with  all  his  instruments  — as  over-mas- 
tered and  ruled  by  God,  have  this  injunction  upon 
them,  to  further  God’s  intendment  to  us,  and  a prohi- 
bition to  do  us  no  harm. 

Agustus  taxed  the  world  for  civil  ends ; but  God’s 
providence  used  this  as  a means  for  Christ  to  be  born 
at  Bethlehem.  Ahasuerus  could  not  sleep,  and  there- 
fore calls  for  the  chronicles,  the  reading  of  which  occa- 
sioned the  Jews’  delivery.  God  often  disposeth  little 
occasions  to  great  purposes;  and  by  those  very  ways, 
proud  men  have  gone  about  to  withstand  God’s  coun- 
sels, they  have  fulfilled  them. 

There  are  chords  in  the  human  heart,  strange  vary- 
ing strings,  which  are  only  struck  by  accident ; which 
will  remain  mute  and  senseless  to  appeals  the  most 
passionate  and  earnest,  and  respond  at  last  to  the 
slightest  casual  touch.  In  the  most  insensible  or 
childish  minds  there  is  some  train  of  reflection  which 
art  can  seldom  lead,  or  skill  assist,  but  which  will  reveal 
itself,  as  great  truths  have  done,  by  chance,  and  when 
the  discoverer  has  the  plainest  and  simplest  end  in 
view. 

Springing  from  the  faintest  causes,  grand  results 
have  often  shown  that  there  is  power  in  trifles. 

Almost  all  the  great  discoveries  which  have  pre- 
eminently distinguished  the  late  centuries  have  been 
the  result,  not  so  much  of  profound  research  as  of  ac- 
cident. For  instance,  the  simple  circumstances  which 
led  to  the  discovery  of  the  law  of  gravitation. 

A hundred  years  later,  in  an  humble  cottage  in 


356 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH.  ' 


Scotland,  a little  boy  sat  by  his  mother’s  kitchen  fire. 
In  an  attitude  of  deepest  attention  he  gazed  at  the 
tea-kettle,  singing  on  the  hearth.  What  did  he  see  in 
the  misty  wreaths  of  steam,  which  ever  and  anon  es- 
caped from  the  spout,  or  slowly  lifted  the  lid  of  the 
kettle?  The  expansive — the  propelling  power  of 
steam!  And  the  grand  idea  enters  his  mind  of  apply- 
ing this  powerful  agent  to  machinery.  Little  did  his 
mother  dream  when  she  chided  her  son  for  what  she 
considered  a foolish  habit,  that  he  was  making  a 
great  discovery,  for  which  he  would  not  only  receive 
a proud  title,  but  the  entire  thanks  of  a grateful 
world ; for  the  improvement  in  the  steam  engine, 
which  this  discovery  enabled  Watt  to  make,  has  saved 
an  amount  of  labor  which  no  mathematician  can  esti- 
mate. 

Again  we  say,  despise  not  small  beginnings,  nor 
look  with  supercilious  contempt  upon  everything 
which  appears  insignificant  and  trifling.  Trifles  are 
not  so  plenty  in  this  world  as  many  of  us  imagine.  A 
philosopher  has  observed  that  wars,  involving  mischief 
to  great  nations,  have  arisen  from  a ministerial  dispatch 
beino-  written  in  a fit  of  indigestion ! When  Alexander 
Pope  received  his  present  of  Turkey  figs,  he  little 
thought  that  a twig  from  the  basket  was  to  be  the 
means  of  introducing  the  weeping  willow  into  England 
and  America. 

So  is  this  world  made  up  of  and  governed  by  trifles, 
at  first  too  small  to  attract  notice ; and  the  wise  man 
will  not  only  cultivate  sharp  eyes,  but  attentive  habits, 
making  the  most  and  the  best  of  everything.  “ It  is 


TRIFLES. 


357 


not,”  said  Plutarch,  “in  the  most  distinguished  exploits 
that  men’s  virtues  or  vices  may  be  best  discovered, 
but  frequently  an  action  of  small  note,  a short  saying, 
or  a jest,  that  distinguishes  a person’s  real  character 
more  than  the  greatest  battles  or  the  most  important 
actions.” 

Even  “genius  loves  to  nestle  in  strange  places,” 
and  confers  its  meeds  of  honor  in  the  most  obscure 
pathways.  The  very  humblest  households  have  fre- 
quently been  the  nurseries  of  the  most  gifted  minds. 
We  see  Galileo  soliciting^  the  loan  of  a few  shillings 
with  which  to  purchase  the  materials  for  constructing 
his  telescope,  an  instrument  which  has  brought  thou- 
sands of  stars,  never  before  seen,  within  the  sphere  of 
mortal  vision — thus  throwing  a flood  of  effulgence  on 
the  sublime  science  o'  stronomy. 

The  great  momenta  of  life  are  but  moments  like 
the  others.  Your  doom  is  spoken  in  a word  or  two. 
A single  look  from  the  eyes,  a mere  pressure  of  the 
hand,  may  decide  it ; or  of  the  lips,  though  they  can- 
not speak.  We  are  not  only  pleased  but  turned  by  a 
feather.  The  history  of  a man  is  a calendar  of  straws. 
“ If  the  nose  of  Cleopatra  had  been  shorter,”  said  Pascal, 
in  his  brilliant  way,  “Antony  might  have  kept  the  world.” 
Trifles  we  should  let,  not  plague  us  only,  but  also 
gratify  us  ; we  should  seize  not  their  poison-bags  only, 
but  their  honey-bags  also.  Yet,  as  Goldsmith  says, 
those  who  place  their  affections  at  first  on  trifles  for 
amusement,  will  find  those  trifles  become  at  last  their 
most  serious  concerns.  Beauty  and  death  make  each 
other  seem  purer  and  lovelier,  like  snow  and  moon- 


358 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


light.  Let  your  wit  be  your  friend,  your  mind  your 
companion,  and  your  tongue  your  servant.  It  is  a 
solemn  thought  with  the  middle-aged,  that  life’s  lastbusi- 
ness  is  begun  in  earnest.  He  who  labors  for  mankind, 
without  a care  for  himself,  has  already  begun  his  im- 
mortality. The  truths  that  we  least  wish  to  hear  are 
those  which  it  is  most  to  our  advantage  to  know. 
Those  who  think  that  money  will  do  anything  may  be 
suspected  of  doing  anything  for  money.  A weak 
mind  is  like  a microscope,  which  magnifies  trifling 
things,  but  can  not  receive  great  ones. 

Honesty,  energy  and  enterprise  make  men  honored 
on  earth,  glorious  in  their  graves  and  immortal  in 
heaven.  What  is  the  difference  between  hope  and 
desire  ? Desire  is  a tree  in  leaf,  hope  is  a tree  in 
flower,  and  enjoyment  is  a tree  in  fruit.  Looking  up 
so  high,  worshiping  so  silently,  we  tramp  out  the  hearts 
of  flowers  that  lift  their  bright  heads  for  us  and  die 
alone.  It  is  easy  enough  to  find  plenty  of  men  who 
think  the  world  owes  them  a living,  but  hard  to  find  a 
chap  who  is  willing  to  own  up  that  he  has  collected  the 
debt  in  full.  Pride  is  as  loud  a beggar  as  want,  and  a 
great  deal  more  saucy.  When  you  have  bought  one 
fine  thing,  you  must  buy  ten  more,  that  your  appear- 
ance may  be  all  of  a piece  ; but  it  is  easier  to  suppress 
the  first  desire  than  to  satisfy  all  that  follow  it. 

The  fortunate  circumstances  of  our  lives  are 
generally  found  at  last  to  be  of  our  own  producing. 
Fortunes  made  in  no  time  are  like  shirts  made  in  no 
time  ; it’s  ten  to  one  if  they  hang  long  together.  The 
best  thing  to  give  to  your  enemy  is  forgiveness ; to> 


GLIMPSES. 


359 


an  opponent,  tolerance  : to  a friend,  your  heart;  to  your 
child,  a good  example;  to  a father,  deference;  to  your 
mother,  conduct  that  will  make  her  proud  of  you  ; to 
yourself,  respect ; to  all  men,  charity. 


God  lets  us  catch  a glimpse  now  and  then  of  some 
of  the  wonderful  capabilities  of  the  human  mind  in  a 
state  of  development  unknown  to  this  world.  A man 
in  an  insane  asylum  has  been  discovered  who  can 
read  a newspaper  bottom-side  up  or  sideways  as 
readily  as  otherwise.  In  fact  it  can  be  whirled  around 
in  front  of  him  and  he  still  reads  any  article  that  is 
designated.  Another  man,  an  idiot,  can  tell  the  exact 
time  of  the  day  or  night,  even  when  suddenly  waked 
from  a sound  sleep.  The  wonderful  musical  powers 
of  Blind  Tom  are  well  known.  Wonderful  problems 
of  a scientific  or  moral  character  present  themselves 
at  times  to  our  view  in  such  a shape  that  we  can  just 
catch  a glimpse  of  their  probable  solution,  but  the  rest 
is  hidden,  and  will  only  be  made  known  when  we  have 
passed  on  beyond  this  cloudland  into  the  pure  sun- 
shine of  God’s  eternal  day. 

I have  met  some  people  who  seemed  to  suppose 
that  they  knew  everything,  and  they  were  great  igno- 
ramuses; they  did  not  know  enough  to  know  how  lit- 
tle they  really  did  know.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  said,  “I 
am  but  a child  wandering  on  the  shore,  where  beats 


Glimpses. 


360 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  deep  sea,  gathering  here  and  there  a shell  or  peb- 
ble, while  the  great  depths  are  unexplored.” 

I look  up, — star  after  star  beams  upon  me,  some 
glimmering  but  faintly ; others  thlbugh  the  infinite 
realms  of  space  pour  down  glorious  streams  of  radi- 
ance, fixed  stars,  planets,  suns,  worlds  upon  worlds, 
innumerable  worlds.  “How  I wonder  what  you  are,” 
the  little  child  says.  The  astronomer  comes  as  he 
thinks  to  know.  He  can  tell  you  how  many  miles  it  is 
to  the  moon,  and  what  is  its  diameter;  about  its  burnt- 
out  volcano ; that  it  has  no  atmosphere,  that  it  has  no 
water,  that  it  is  a dead  planet  where  no  fire  glows  or 
winds  blow,  where  nothing  lives.  A dead  planet ! 
He  thinks  he  knows  about  it;  he  has  it  all  mapped 
out.  He  thinks  he  knows  about  the  sun,  its  atmos- 
phere, the  spots  upon  it,  the  terrific  storms  that  rush 
over  its  surface,  whose  trend  is  felt  even  here.  He 
grows  eloquent  about  planets,  their  belts  and  rings  and 
satellites,  and  talks  learnedly  about  gravity.  Beyond 
the  Solar  System,  he  will  tell  you  about  the  Great 
Bear  and  the  Lesser,  the  Pleiades,  and  he  thinks  he 
knows;  but  how  little!  Ask  him  how  old  are  these 
stars?  Ask  him  whether  they  are  inhabited?  Ask 
him  what  is  gravity?  What  moves  this  stellar  host? 
Ask  him  where  is  the  centre  of  the  universe  and  what 
is  its  circumference.  Before,  behind,  on  the  right,  on 
the  left,  things  are  broken  off.  He  cannot  tell  you 
where  they  begin. 

Let  us  look  down.  The  geologist  digs  deep,  but 
cannot  strike  bottom.  He  can  go  back  many  ages,  but 
not  to  the  beginning ; he  can  tell  you  the  different 


GLIMPSES. 


361 

strata  of  earth  until  you  reach  fire  ; but  how  came 
that  fire  there  ? Whence  came  the  sea  ? He  will  tell 
you  from  the  condensation  of  vapor.  Whence  came 
the  vapor?  He  cannot  tell  you,  though  he  calls  him- 
self a philosopher. 

Then  as  to  man.  The  ancients  had  a motto,  “ Man 
know  thyself.”  They  spent  all  their  life  in  the  study, 
and  found  life  too  short.  Harvey  discovered  the  cir- 
culation of  the  blood,  how  the  heart  was  an  engine 
driving  the  blood  through  the  arteries  ; but  did  Harvey 
find  out  what  set  it  going?  Bell  wrote  a treatise  on 
the  hand,  one  of  the  most  elaborate  ever  written  ; but 
can  Bell  tell  me  how  I can  move  my  fingers  ? Can  he 
explain  the  mysterious  telegraphy  that  flashes  from 
the  brain  to  the  extremities.  The  mechanism  of  the 
eye  ! Who  can  tell  how  the  picture  is  transmitted,  how 
the  two  pictures  cross  each  other,  and  make  one  pic- 
ture? The  brain  ! Who  can  tell  about  it  ? There  is 
something  in  phrenology,  but  who  knows  how  much, 
how  little  ? Who  can  tell  about  the  beginning  of  life, 
and  how  it  is  sustained  ? You  lay  the  body  on  the 
table,  and  with  the  scalpel  search  for  the  life  ; but 
even  as  you  search  it  is  gone.  What  is  life?  We 
have  not  found  out  yet ; and  what  is  death? 

We  look  around  us.  The  smallest  flower  that 
blooms,  who  understands  it  ? Take  the  animalcule,  mill- 
ions of  which  find  their  home  in  a drop  of  water,  what 
naturalist  understands  it?  A drop  of  dew,  a ray  of 
light,  heat,  who  understands  them  ? Men  talk  learn- 
edly of  affinity,  what  is  it?  What  is  an  atom  ? A 
whole  academy  of  scientists  can  be  gravelled  by  a grain 


362 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  sand.  All  the  philosophers  gather  about  a drop  of 
water  and  they  cannot  get  to  the  bottom  of  it.  “ God’s 
purposes  will  ripen  fast.”  That  is  true  of  some,  but  he 
has  century  plants,  and  you  know  not  their  glory  until 
the  century  has  passed  away,  and  all  at  once  the  flower 
breaks  forth  in  all  its  beauty,  and  then  you  understand 
the  meaning  of  the  flowerless  stalk  that  has  stood 
there  so  long.  You  must  give  God  ages  to  under- 
stand him.  You  must  wait  until  eternity;  the  clear 
light  of  heaven  must  shine  upon  the  Providences 
of  earth  before  you  can  understand  what  God  meant 
by  the  dispensations  that  trouble  your  heart  now. 

What  is  the  use,  some  will  say,  of  having  these 
Scriptures  if  you  don’t  understand  them?  Do  you 
understand  digestion?  Then  what  is  the  use  of  having 
bread  and  water?  Can  you  fathom  the  depths  of  the 
sea?  And  yet  you  can  serenely  sail  over  it.  And 
though  you  cannot  fathom  the  depths  of  God’s  truth, 
you  can  sail  over  it  to  heaven.  Perhaps  you  don’t 
understand  the  compass,  and  why  the  needle  points 
north  and  south.  They  explain  it  by  saying  the  earth 
is  a great  magnet,  and,  like  all  other  great  magnets,  has 
a north  and  south  pole.  They  tell  us  further  that 
the  opposite  poles  of  magnets  attract,  and  that  because 
of  this  attraction  the  needle,  which  is  a magnet,  points 
north  and  south.  Does  anybody  understand  that?  I 
don’t,  and  yet  they  think  they  have  explained  it  when 
they  tell  you  that.  Well,  if  you  don’t  understand  it, 
what  is  the  use  of  it?  You  sail  by  it,  and  the  globe 
could  not  be  circumnavigated  without  it.  There  is 


GLIMPSES.  363 

much  you  don’t  understand  that  is  nevertheless  very 
beautiful  and  beneficent. 

There  are  people  who  are  ready  to  say  that  no 
one  can  know  anything  of  the  infinite  beyond,  as  no- 
body has  been  there  and  ever  returned  to  tell  us,  and 
that  it  is  all  but  dim  conjecture.  Somebody  has  been 
there  and  come  from  there.  It  is  true,  no  man  has 
seen  God  ; but  the  only-begotten  Son  has  come  forth 
from  the  bosom  of  the  Father;  and  is  not  the  God 
Man  competent  to  speak?  He  descended  in  infinite 
love  to  the  depths,  and  he  has  made  proclamation  of 
things  we  could  not  otherwise  possibly  have  known. 
One  has  come  from  heaven  and  stood  upon  earth,  and 
told  men  what  was  in  that  world  from  whence  he 
came. 

Patience,  then,  poor  weak  heart!  Down,  ambitious 
thoughts,  too  proudly  climbing ! Be  content  to  be  led 
in  the  dark ; be  persuaded  we  shall  come  presently  to 
fountains  of  everlasting  satisfaction  in  a better  land. 

It  is  sometimes  assumed  that  defeat  is  the  sign  of 
God’s  ' disapproval ; that  success  is  the  seal  of  his  ap- 
proval. It  is  not  always  so.  Good  causes  are  held  in 
check  for  centuries.  The  world  is  full  of  unfinished 
battles.  Truths  lie  prostrate  in  the  dust  that  by  and 
by  shall  rise  and  assert  their  power. 

When  the  shower  of  stones  began  to  fall  upon 
him,  Stephen  cried,  “ I see  the  heavens  opened.”  And 
this  unveiling  of  divine  things  makes  an  exit  from  the 
world  triumphant.  Many  a child  sees  visions  of  Jesus 
in  death,  of  which  no  patriarch  or  sage  ever  dreamed. 
To  the  crushed  and  oppressed,  Paradise  opens  above 


364 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  pallet  of  straw,  and  the  garret  or  the  cellar  be- 
comes “ the  gate  of  heaven.” 

It  cannot  be  that  those  whom  I have  loved  have 
gone  into  nothingness.  The  garment  I held  has 
slipped  from  my  grasp.  The  beauty  of  the  flesh  is  all 
unwoven.  But  that  which  I loved,  which  wore  that 
garment,  somewhere  in  God’s  universe  keeps  its  life, 
its  personality,  its  consciousness. 

Here  is  a book  of  fiction  ; it  becomes  more  and 
more  involved  ; the  plot  thickens, — I cannot  under- 
stand it;  I weep,  I laugh,  I rejoice,  I am  depressed;  it 
seems  to  be  all  going  wrong ; but  by-and-by  I come 
to  the  denoument,  and  it  turns  out  just  as  I would 
wish.  So  God  moves  in  great  circles,  and  we  see  but 
a part  of  his  ways. 

Life,  according  to  an  Arabic  proverb,  consists  of 
two  parts — the  past,  a dream,  and  the  future  a hope. 
But  there  are  times  when  these  souls  of  ours  get  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Throne,  when  we  can  almost  hear 
the  music  of  heaven,  and  there  falls  upon  us  a quiet 
like  the  echo  of  an  angel’s  song.  Man  is  a symbol  of 
eternity,  imprisoned  into  time. 

Goodness  does  not  only  communicate  favors  and 
kindness — it  even  in  some  measure  communicates 
itself ; just  as  those  who  have  been  long  among  the 
most  fragrant  objects  not  only  are  delighted  with  the 
odor  that  breathes  from  them;  some  of  the  very  fra- 
grance cleaves  to  and  remains  with  them.  They  be- 
come fragrant  themselves  by  staying  long  among 
objects  that  are  so. 

In  the  depths  of  the  sea  the  waters  are  still ; the 


GLIMPSES. 


3^5 


heaviest  grief  is  that  borne  in  silence;  the  deepest 
love  flows  through  the  eye  and  touch  ; the  purest  joy 
is  unspeakable,  and  the  most  impressive  preacher  is 
the  silent  one,  whose  lips  are  closed.  Obscurity  and 
innocence,  twin  sisters,  escape  temptations  which  would 
pierce  their  gossamer  armor,  in  contact  with  the  world. 

That  which  is  right  never  dies.  It  may  be  buried 
beneath  the  weight  of  corruption,  only  to  live  and 
come  to  the  surface  again.  Deeds  are  fruits  ; words 
but  leaves.  To  write  of  heroic  sacrifices,  and  to  make 
them,  are  two  different  things.  It  is  really  of  little 
difference  who  we  are — it  matters  more  what  we  are. 

That  which  in  heaven  is  flame,  on  earth  is  smoke. 
He  who  best  knows  Christ  is  the  best  Christian. 
Earthly  things  must  remind  us  of  heavenly.  We  must 
translate  the  book  of  nature  into  the  book  of  grace. 
Resignation  is  putting  God  between  one’s  self  and 
one’s  grief.  Nothing  can  be  love  to  God  which  does 
not  shape  itself  into  obedience.  Between  late  and  too 
late  there  is,  thanks  be  to  God,  an  inconceivable 
distance. 

An  author,  no  less  eminent  than  judicious,  makes 
the  following  distinction  between  the  words  Innocence, 
Wisdom  and  Virtue: 

“Innocence  consists  in  doing  no  harm,  and  occa- 
sioning no  trouble  to  society.  Wisdom  consists  in 
being  attentive  to  one’s  true  and  solid  interest;  in  dis- 
tinguishing it  from  a seeming  interest;  in  a right' 
choice  and  a constant  adherence  to  it.  Virtue  oroes 

o 

further;  it  loves  the  good  of  society,  and  frequently 
prefers  it  to  its  own  advantages.” 


366 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


The  formula  of  the  skeptical  scientist  is  “ force, 
matter,  nature,  grind.”  The  formula  of  the  Christian 
philosopher  “ God,  matter,  love,  growth.”  The  heart, 
though  only  a handful  of  muscle,  the  whole  world  can- 
not fill ; and  when  broken,  only  he  wh-o  made  it  can 
mend  it.  Our  very  life  is  but  a dream,  and  while  we 
look  around  eternity  is  at  hand. 

Don’t  judge  a man  by  the  house  he  lives  in,  for 
the  lizard  and  the  rat  often  inhabit  the  grandest  struct- 
ures. Ruskin  has  truly  taught  us  that  where  we  find 
in  creation  one  adjustment  for  simple  utility  we  find 
twenty  for  beauty.  *' 

Man  is  like  a complicated  and  delicately  tuned  in- 
strument. His  mind  has  many  faculties — his  heart 
many  chords.  Some  human  beings  remind  us  in  their 
lives  of  grand  triumphal  music ; from  the  hearts  of 
some  there  seems  to  ascend  an  almost  constant  hymn 
of  praise ; while  to  the  worn  spirits  of  others  earth  is 
filled  only  with  the  low,  sad  voice  of  humanity,  as  it 
moans  beneath  its  burden  of  sickness,  sorrow,  sin  and 
death. 


Driftwood. 

Did  you  ever  stand  on  the  banks  of  a river  whose 
swollen  tide  was  covered  with  the  debris  of  the  moun- 
tain freshet?  Did  you  ever  wonder  where  all  the 
driftwood  came  from  and  whither  it  went?  Thus  may 
we  stand  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream  of  life,  and  as 


DRIFTWOOD. 


367 


its  ever  rushing  tide  flows  past  us  we  wonder  at  the 
mass  of  refuse  and  waste  material  borne  upon  its 
bosom,  coming  from  unknown  and  remote  regions, 
and  going  we  cannot  tell  whither,  even  to  the  corners 
of  the  earth. 

The  weaving  of  tapestry  is  done  by  following  the 
outlines  of  a figure  or  pattern  sketched  on  the  back  of 
the  canvas  or  warp,  which  is  stretched  in  a loom,  by  a 
workman  who  stands  behind,  placing  the  woolen  or 
silken  threads — which  are  wound  on  an  instrument 
called  a broach — in  the  proper  places,  blending  such 
colors  as  please  the  eye  and  best  bring  out  the  design, 
he  simply  follows  the  outline,  not  being  able  to  see  the 
result  of  his  labors  unless  he  pass  to  the  front  of  the 
stretched  canvas.  He,  however,  has  a pattern  to 
which  he  refers  from  time  to  time,  seeing  exactly  what 
colors  are  wanted,  and  where  they  should  be  placed. 
Following  this  carefully,  his  work  is  sure  to  be  suc- 
cessful and  valuable ; neglecting  to  consult  it,  failure 
is  certain  and  great  waste  of  material. 

So  life  is  like  a canvas  placed  before  us,  to  be 
filled  in  with  good,  useful  and  pleasant  deeds.  We 
seldom  see  the  effect  produced  on  others  by  our 
words  and  deeds,  but  as  surely  as  the  weaver’s  threads 
drawn  into  the  meshes  of  the  canvas,  form  a fabric  of 
beautiful  or  homely  design,  according  to  the  skill  and 
care  he  displays  in  weaving,  so  must  our  lives  present 
to  others  a fair  or  unlovely  view  in  proportion  as  we 
study  or  neglect  to  copy  our  pattern  of  pure  and  holy 
living.  Neglecting  to  follow  our  example, — Christ — 
we  weave  in  disobedience,  unkindness,  indolence  and 


368 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


self  love,  together  with  many  other  unlovable  traits  of 
cnaracter. 

With  many  of  us  our  life-tapestry  is  a sadly  curi- 
ous mixture,  viewing  it  from  the  right  side.  Here 
and  there  are  beautiful  buds  of  love,  gentleness,  obedi- 
ence, unselfishness,  while  abundantly  intermixed  are 
rank  weeds  of  envy,  hatred,  disobedience,  untruthful- 
ness and  dishonesty.  Many  a blank  space  is  seen,  for 
though  time  passes  ever,  there  are  many  moments  in 
which  indolence  prevents  our  filling  in  with  buds  of 
beauty  or  usefulness. 

You  may  take  a child  in  what  you  call  its  inno- 
cence and  its  sensibility,  and  deeming  with  some  among 
us  that  all  children  are  born  good,  you  may  assiduous- 
ly instruct  in  the  principles  of  morals,  and  you  may 
carefully  seclude  it  from  the  contagion  of  evil  example, 
and  you  may  write  upon  its  fresh  young  heart  the 
benevolent  affections  and  the  holy  name  of  God  ; and 
then  you  may  watch  gradually  for  the  development  of 
nature  that  you  have  thus  started  and  trained.  Ah  ! 
but  you  were  too  late  in  the  field.  You  deemed  that 
your  inscription  was  the  first  that  was  written  there; 
but  the  enemy  had  been  at  work  before  you  ; the  heart 
had  been  overwritten  before  you  had  got  to  it.  Let 
the  passions  play  upon  the  opening  mind,  hold  it  up  to 
the  lamp  of  opportunity,  and  in  hell’s  dark  cipher  you 
can  trace  the  blurred  and  misshapen  characters  of 
crime. 

One  of  the  most  notable  of  all  the  evil  and  corrupting 
influences  that  characterize  this  age  is  the  multiplica- 
tion of  bad  books  and  the  ever  widening  circulation  of 


DRIFTWOOD. 


369 


t)ad  newspapers.  The  press  is  stronger  than  Hercules, 
has  more  hands  than  Briareus,  and  when  it  fairly  sets 
itself  to  do  wickedness  can  be  as  unclean  as  the 
Harpies.  It  becomes  as  troublesome  and  as  loath- 
some as  the  plague  of  frogs  that  swarmed  out  of  the 
Nile  and  came  up  into  the  houses  of  the  Egyptians — 
cold  and  slimy  and  ugly — sparing  neither  prince  nor 
priest  nor  slave.  Would  God  some  Moses  and  Aaron 
would  come  to  drive  them  back  to  the  ooze  and  mud 
where  they  were  born  ! 

Many  of  the  great  dailies — we  write  it  with  profound 
sorrow — have  done  what  they  could  to  make  these 
vile  publications  respectable  by  imitating  their 
example  and  filling  their  columns  with  the  sicken- 
ing details  of  crime.  And  the  lesser  dailies  and  little 
country  sheets  follow  in  their  wake  to  the  best  of 
their  ability.  Crime  :s  paraded  in  its  most  revolting 
details,  and  we  charge  it  upon  them  that  their  managers 
do  not  even  design  to  do  good  by  their  minute  de- 
scription of  the  most  shameful  and  abominable  sins. 
What  wonder,  then,  that  the  conscientious  and  pains- 
taking parent  should  allow  only  a few  good  books  in  his 
household  to  the  almost  entire  exclusion  of  the  so 
called  news  papers. 

The  quantity  of  obscene  literature  that  goes  through 
the  mails  is  not  suspected  by  one  in  a hundred.  Their 
publication  is  a crime  against  domestic  and  social 
purity,  against  civil  liberty,  and  Christian  civilization, 
whose  enormity  is  immeasurable.  It  is  truly  time  to 
speak  out  on  this  subject.  “A  broadside  of  Sinaitic 

24 


370  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

< 

thunder”  should  be  turned  loose  upon  these  ramparts 
and  legions  of  darkness. 

The  superstitions  of  various  nations  are  most 
degrading,  and  seem  almost  incredible  to  us,  except 
as  we  look  about  us  and  see  how  prone  even  the  most 
enlightened  of  us  are  to  dread  the  ill  effects  of  some 
unlucky  happenings.  I think  we  cannot  too  strongly 
attack  superstition,  which  is  the  disturber  of  society  ; 
nor  too  highly  respect  genuine  religion,  which  is  the 
support  of  it.  Superstition,  that  horrid  incubus  which 
dwelt  in  darkness,  shunning  the  light,  with  all  its 
racks,  and  poison-chalices,  and  foul  sleeping-draughts, 
is  passing  away  without  return.  Religion  cannot  pass 
away.  The  burning  of  a little  straw  may  hide  the 
stars  of  the  sky ; but  the  stars  are  there,  and  will  re- 
appear. Fielding  says  superstition  lenders  a man  a 
fool,  and  skepticism  makes  him  mad. 

Why  is  it  that  sailors  cling  to  port-  on  a Friday, 
and  loose  their  ships  and  weigh  anchor  on  Sunday? 
Why  did  the  ancients  build  a temple  to  Fortune,  con- 
sult oracles,  and  venerate  white  stones  rather  than 
black  stones  ? Why  did  our  grandmothers  dislike  the 
assemblage  of  nine  rooks,  turn  back  when  they  met  a 
dog  crossing  their  path,  and  show  an  antipathy  to 
black  cats?  Why  does  a Fijian,  to  propitiate  his  ugly 
wooden  god,  offer  him  a bakolo,  the  dead  body  of  his 
brother  ? Why  was  it  improper  to  eat  the  beans  and 
the  seeds  of  the  lupine?  What  magic  makes  the  third 
time  never  like  the  rest  ? At  the  wicked  little  German 
towns  where  small  grand-dukes  improve  their  reve- 
nues by  licensing  gaming  tables,  you  will  find  old  gamb- 


DRIFTWOOD. 


371 


lers  begging  the  youngest  in  the  company,  often  an 
English  boy  who  has  come  to  look  about  him,  to  take 
for  them  the  first  throw  of  the  dice.  Why  so  ? Why 
is  a fresh  hand  more  likely  to  throw  the  three  sixes 
than  an  old  one  ? 

Among  other  relics  preserved  in  the  mosque  of  St. 
Sophia,  at  Constantinople,  is  the  cradle  of  our  Saviour, 
which,  according  to  tradition,  was  brought  from  Beth- 
lehem, together  with  a sort  of  basin  in  which  his 
mother  washed  him. 

One  would  hardly  believe  that  there  are  many  peo- 
ple who  forget  they  have  money,  or  that  there  is 
money  or  interest  due  them,  and  yet  it  is  a fact. 
There  lies  in  the  Treasury  Department  to-day  one 
million  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  of  unclaimed 
interest  on  government  bonds.  The  sum  is  getting 
larger  every  day.  This  seems  strange,  but  it  is  true. 
This  vast  sum  of  money,  or  much  of  it,  can  be  drawn 
by  simply  applying  for  it  by  whoever  is  entitled  to  it 
and  has  the  registered  bond  on  which  the  interest  is 
due  and  not  paid.  There  are  thousands  of  persons 
who  have  bought  bonds,  and  not  knowing  how  to  get 
the  interest  on  them,  prefer  to  lose  the  same  rather 
than  to  expose  the  fact  that  they  have  the  bonds. 
Others  have  interest  due  them,  and  actually  forget  the 
fact,  and  it  lies  in  the  treasury  vaults  waiting  for  them 
to  apply  for  it.  Should  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  bond 
division  inform  a person  to  whom  interest  is  due  of  the 
fact,  and  the  same  be  discovered,  he  would  be  in- 
stantly discharged. 

Our  government  is  like  that  of  other  countries,  dis- 


37  2 


•VVELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


honest  in  matters  of  this  kind,  and  is  always  willing  to 
keep  that  which  belongs  to  others  if  it  is  not  called  for. 
Should  one  of  its  clerks  be  honest  enough  to  give  out 
a hint,  he  is  discharged  on  the  ground  that  it  is  not 
probable  he  would  be  engaged  in  volunteering  infor- 
mation unless  he  received  a certain  percentage  for  his 
services,  and  this  he  has  no  right  to  do.  The  govern- 
ment takes  the  ground  that  the  person  to  whom  the 
interest  is  due  should  not  be  required  to  pay  for  the 
information;  at  the  same  time  the  same  government 
will  not  itself  volunteer  the  information. 

Josh  Billings  very  aptly  gives  voice  to  the  practical 
man’s  idea  of  an  enthusiast,  when  he  describes  him  as 
“one  who  believes  about  four  times  as  much  as  he  can 
prove,  and  who  can  prove  about  four  times  as  much 
as  anybody  believes.”  It  is  in  that  one-fifth  part, 
which  is  provable,  demonstrable,  and  which  he  can 
make  the  world  believe,  resides  the  force  which  moves 
the  world  forward.  The  other  four  parts  are  left  as 
the  stock  of  some  future  enthusiast  to  be  used  in 
keeping  the  world  agoing. 

On  a certain  occasion  Edward  Everett  visited  the 
composing  room  of  the  “ Boston  Advertiser,”  at  a late 
hour,  to  read  a proof  of  an  oration  which  he  had  failed 
to  see  at  an  earlier  hour.  Extremely  particular  about 
his  style,  he  was  altering  sentences  and  making 
additions  while  the  forms  were  waiting,  which  so  irri- 
tated the  foreman  that  he  roared  out:  “Cut  it  short, 
Everett — confound  it,  cut  it  short.  There’s  no  time 
now  for  patching  up  bad  English.” 

An  Oneida  Indian  preacher  in  a recent  sermon 


DRIFTWOOD. 


373 


said  he  was  thankful  that  “ the  Creator  did  not  give 
the  Indian  enough  language  to  allow  him  to  be  profane 
without  first  learning  English.” 

The  ruins  of  old  friendships  are  a more  melancholy 
spectacle  than  those  of  desolated  palaces.  They  ex- 
hibit the  heart  that  was  once  lighted  up  with  joy,  all 
damp  and  deserted,  and  haunted  by  those  birds  of  ill- 
omen  that  only  nestle  in  ruins. 

In  general,  pride  is  at  the  bottom  of  all  great  mis- 
takes. All  the  other  passions  do  occasional  good,  but 
wherever  pride  puts  in  its  word  everything  goes 
wrong,  and  what  might  be  desirable  to  do  quietly  and 
innocently,  it  is  morally  dangerous  to  do  proudly. 

Temptation  is  a fearful  word.  It  indicates  the  be- 
ginning of  a possible  series  of  infinite  evils.  It  is  the 
ringing  of  an  alarm,  whose  melancholy  sounds  may 
reverberate  through  eternity.  Like  the  sudden,  sharp 
cry  of  “fire  ! ” in  the  night,  it  rouses  us  to  instantaneous 
activity. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  we  are  most  in  danger 
of  losing  a friend  by  asking  a favor  or  by  conferring 
one. 

Examples  are  few  of  men  ruined  by  giving.  Men 
are  heroes  in  spending — very  cravens  in  what  they 
give. 

It  is  a row  of  empty  houses  that  gets  its  windows 
broken ; and  empty  heads,  empty  hearts  and  idle 
hands  are  sure  to  come  to  grief. 


374 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Shoddy. 

“The  misfortune  is,”  says  Addison,  “men  despise 
ivhat  they  may  be  masters  of,  and  affect  what  they  are 
not  fit  for ; they  reckon  themselves  already  possessed 
of  what  their  genius  inclined  them  to,  and  so  bend  all 
ambition  to  excel  in  what  is  out  of  their  reach;  thus 
they  destroy  the  use  of  their  natural  talents,  in  the 
same  manner  as  covetous  men  do  their  quiet  and  re- 
pose ; they  can  enjoy  no  satisfaction  in  what  they  have, 
because  of  the  absurd  inclination  they  are  possessed 
with  for  what  they  have  not.”  And  this  common 
tendency  is  not  the  mere  desire  to  get  unattainable 
things,  nor  is  it  only  the  idealization  of  the  object  pur- 
sued, at  the  expense  of  the  object  possessed.  It  is  a 
resolute  liking  for  those  ambitions  or  attainments  in 
which  we  are  really  least  deserving.  Thus  we  see  in 
the  whole  field  of  human  labor,  from  the  highest  point 
to  the  lowest,  a strange  misunderstanding  concerning 
the  true  nature  of  one’s  successes  and  failures.  A 
first-rate  novelist  cares  nothing  for  his  excellent  stories, 
but  prides  himself  most  of  all  on  his  indifferent  verse. 
A really  great  surgeon  most  dearly  prizes  the  poor 
daubs  which  he  fancies  to  be  excellent  paintings  in  oil. 
The  eminent  patent  lawyer  is  sure  that,  if  he  could 
only  have  had  time  to  write  a history  of  Madagascar, 
his  place  beside  Motley  or  Buckle  would  have  been 
secure.  A house  carpenter  of  the  first  class  meditates 
much  on  his  appearance  as  an  officer  in  the  military 


SHODDY. 


375 


company  of  which  he  is  a member,  and  privately  reflects 
that  his  real  station  in  life  ought  to  be  that  of  a great 
general.  It  is  needless  to  multiply  examples : every 
one  knows  some  person  whose  whimsical  or  absurd 
ambition  in  some  direction  is  the  amusement  of  his 
neighbors  ; and  not  a few  are  well  aware  of  their  own 
defects  or  peccadillos  in  this  line. 

The  greatest  of  faults  is  to  be  conscious  of  none. 
The  surest  mark  of  the  shoddyite  is  egotism  and  self- 
assertion.  Vulgarity  ever  asserts  its  good  breeding; 
guilt,  that  it  is  innocent;  falsehood,  that  it  is  truth; 
and  weakness,  that  it  is  strong.  But  the  keen  observer 
of  human  nature  can  sift  the  chaff  from  the  wheat  and 
tell  the  sincere  from  the  fickle.  I have  noticed  that 
folks  who  have  come  to  grief  and  quite  failed  have  the 
rules  how  to  succeed  in  life  more  at  their  fingers’  end 
than  folks  who  have  succeeded. 

To  a really  great  man,  the  petty  vanities,  shallow 
angers  and  morbid  crotchets  of  smaller  natures  are 
unknown.  Above  all,  genius  gives  to  its  possessor  a 
larger,  clearer  vision  ; eyes  that  look  outward,  not  in- 
ward. That  enormous  Ego — the  source  of  so  many 
puny  woes  to  lesser  minds — rarely  grows  rampant  in 
a man  who  is  great  enough  to  know  his  own  littleness. 
Consequently,  he  is  saved  at  once  from  a hundred 
vexations  which  dog  the  heels  of  your  giant  of  genius — 
who  is  always  measuring  himself  with  Tom,  Dick  and 
Harry,  and  requiring,  or  fancying  he  requires,  larger 
clothes,  longer  beds,  and  bigger  hats  than  they.  It  is 
your  second-rate,  your  merely  clever  man,  who,  ape- 
like, is  always  rattling  at  the  bars  of  his  cage,  moping 


376  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

and  mowing  to  attract  attention,  and  eagerly  holding 
out  his  paw  for  the  nuts  and  apples  of  public  apprecia- 
tion, which,  if  he  does  not  get — why,  he  sits  and  howls! 

One  tribe  of  these  Ishmaelites  is  made  up  of  high- 
flying ignoramuses,  who  are  very  mighty  about  the 
doctrine  of  a sermon — here  they  are  as  decisive  as 
sledcre-hammers  and  as  certain  as  death.  He  who 

o 

knows  nothing  is  confident  in  everything;  hence  they 
are  bullheaded  beyond  measure.  Every  clock,  and 
even  the  sun-dial,  must  be  set  according  to  their  watches ; 
and  the  slightest  difference  from  their  opinion  proves 
a man  to  be  rotten  at  heart.  Venture  to  argue  with 
them,  and  their  little  pot  boils  in  quick  style  ; ask  them 
for  reasons,  and  you  might  as  well  go  to  a sandpit  for 
sugar.  They  have  bottled  up  the  sea  of  truth  and 
carry  it  in  their  waistcoat  pockets  ; they  have  measured 
heaven’s  line  of  grace,  and  have  tied  a knot  in  the 
string  at  the  exact  length  of  electing  love  ; and  as  for 
the  things  which  angels  long  to  know,  they  have  seen 
them  all  as  boys  see  sights  in  a peep-show  at  our  fair. 
Having  sold  their  modesty  and  become  wiser  than 
their  teachers,  they  ride  a very  high  horse,  and  jump 
over  all  five-barred  gates  of  Bible-texts  which  teach 
doctrines  contrary  to  their  notions. 

If  we  would  make  the  pulpit  in  this  land  strong  and 
true,  the  preacher  must  be  a free  man,  as  Paul  was 
free,  and  Luther  was  free,  and  as  the  citizen  is  free, 
and  the  men  who  follow  medicine  and  the  law.  The 
preachers  who  consent  to  be  of  the  pattern  churches 
prefer  are  not  men,  but  things ; not  flesh  and  blood 
with  a soul  to  make  all  things  sure,  but  wax  to  be 


SHODDY. 


37  7 


moulded  and  adorned  to  the  liking  of  those  who  hear 
them.  The  man  who  is  not  what  God  made  him  from 
the  surface  to  the  centre  has  no  business  in  the  pulpit. 

D’Alembert  congratulated  a young  man  very 
coldly,  who  brought  him  the  solution  of  a problem. 
“ I have  done  this  to  have  a seat  in  the  academy,”  said 
the  young  man.  “Sir,”  answered  D’Alembert,  “with 
such  motives  you  will  never  earn  one.  Science  must 
be  loved  for  its  own  sake,  and  not  for  the  advantages 
to  be  derived.  No  other  principle  will  enable  a man 
to  make  true  progress.”  He  who  makes  a great  fuss 
about  doing  good  will  do  very  little  ; and  he  who 
wishes  to  be  seen  and  noticed  when  he  is  doing  good 
will  not  do  it  long.  He  who  endeavors  to  escape  from 
life’s  drudgery  may  also  cease  to  compete  for  life’s 
prizes.  Even  if  by  maneuver  or  trick  he  seize  some  of 
them,  they  will  become  but  empty  bubbles  that  have 
lost  their  significance. 

There  are  minds  so  habituated  to  intrigue  and  mys- 
tery in  themselves,  and  so  prone  to  expect  it  from 
others,  that  they  will  never  accept  of  a plain  reason 
for  a plain  fact,  if  it  be  possible  to  devise  causes  for  it 
that  are  obscure,  far-fetched,  and  usually  not  worth  the 
carriage. 

There  are  persons  whom  you  can  always  believe, 
because  you  know  they  have  the  habit  of  telling  the 
truth.  They  do  no  not  “ color”  a story,  or  enlarge  a 
bit  of  news  in  order  to  make  it  sound  fine  or  remark- 
able. 

There  are  others  whom  you  hardly  know  whether 
to  believe  or  not,  because  they  stretch  things  so,  A 


378 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


trifling  incident  grows  in  size,  but  not  in  quality,  by 
passing  through  their  mouth.  They  take  a small  fact 
or  slender  bit  of  news  and  pad  it  with  added  words, 
and  paint  it  with  high-colored  adjectives,  until  it  is 
largely  unreal  and  gives  a false  impression.  And  one 
does  not  like  to  listen  to  folks  when  so  much  must  be 
“allowed  for  shrinkage.”  A well-known  writer  says, 
“Trust  him  little  who  praises  all ; him  less  who  cen- 
sures all  ; and  him  least  who  is  indifferent  about  all.” 

Cultivate  the  habit  of  tellings  the  truth  in  little 
things  as  well  as  in  great  ones.  Pick  your  words 
wisely,  and  use  only  such  as  rightly  mean  what  you 
wish  to  say.  Never  “ stretch  ” a story  or  a fact  to  make 
it  seem  bigger  or  funnier.  Do  this,  and  people  will 
learn  to  trust  you  and  respect  you. 

In  our  youth  we  gaze  only  upon  the  outer  and  the 
’airer  side  of  life’s  patchwork,  and  it  appears  to  be  a. 
oeautiful  whole.  In  old  age  we  contemplate  the  other 
side,  and  are  disappointed  and  disgusted  with  its  rag- 
ged seam,  and  its  dry  tags  and  ends. 

It  is  not  poverty  so  much  as  pretense  that  harasses 
a ruined  man — the  struggle  between  a proud  mind 
and  an  empty  purse  — the  keeping  up  of  a hollow 
show  that  must  soon  come  to  an  end.  Have  the 
courage  to  appear  poor,  and  you  disarm  poverty  of 
its  sharpest  sting. 

Wealth  is  an  expensive  thing.  It  costs  all  it’s 
worth.  If  you  want  to  be  worth  a million  dollars,  it 
will  cost  you  just  a million  dollars  to  get  it.  Broken 
friendships,  intellectual  starvation,  loss  of  social  enjoy- 
ment, deprivation  of  generous  impulses,  the  smother- 


SHODDY. 


37  9 


ing  of  manly  aspirations,  a limited  wardrobe  and  a 
scanty  table,  a lonely  home  because  you  fear  a lovely 
wife  and  beautiful  home  would  be  expensive,  a hatred 
of  the  heathen,  a dread  of  the  contribution  box,  a 
haunting  fear  of  the  woman’s  aid  society,  a fretful 
dislike  for  poor  people  because  they  won’t  keep  their 
misery  out  of  your  sight,  a little  sham  benevolence 
that  is  worse  than  none;  oh,  you  can  be  rich,  young 
man,  if  you  are  willing  to  pay  the  price. 

The  one  difficulty  in  life  is  to  be  in  earnest.  All 
this  world  in  the  gala-day  seems  but  a passing,  unreal 
show.  We  dance,  light-hearted,  along  the  ways  of 
existence,  and  nothing  tells  us  that  the  earth  is  hollow 
to  our  tread.  But  soon  some  deep  grief  comes  and 
shocks  us  into  reality ; the  solid  earth  rocks  beneath 
our  feet ; the  awfulness  of  life  meets  us  face  to  face  in 
the  desert.  Then  the  value  of  things  is  seen  ; then  it 
is  that  godly  sorrow  produces  carefulness  ; then  it  is 
that,  like  Jacob,  we  cry,  “ How  awful  is  this  place!  how 
solemn  is  this  life  ! This  is  none  other  but  the  house 
of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven  ! ” Then  it  is 
that  with  moral  earnestness  we  set  forth,  walking 
circumspectly,  weighing,  with  a watchful  and  sober 
eye,  all  the  acts  and  thoughts  which  make  up  life. 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


380 


©u^iosicty. 

Perhaps  the  most  vicious  and  hurtful  propensity  of 
the  human  heart  is  the  vice  of  curiosity.  It  leads  to 
the  commission  of  many  aggravating  sins.  Eye-gate 
and  ear-gate  allow  the  soul  to  see  and  hear  so  many 
things  that  otherwise  would  be  passed  by  without  con- 
tamination. 

A person  who  is  too  nice  an  observer  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  crowd,  like  one  who  is  too  curious  in  ob- 
serving the  labor  of  the  bees,  will  often  be  stung  for 
his  curiosity.  The  gratification  of  curiosity  rather 
frees  us  from  uneasiness  than  confers  pleasure ; we 
are  more  pained  by  ignorance  than  delighted  by  in- 
struction. Curiosity  is  the  thirst  of  the  soul.  But 
even  as  money  is  said  to  be  the  root  of  all  evil,  so 
curiosity  is  the  mother  of  many  sins. 

Curiosity  is  the  spiritual  drunkenness  of  the  soul ; 
and  look,  as  the  drunkard  will  never  be  satisfied,  be 
the  cup  never  so  deep,  unless  he  see  the  bottom  of  it, 
so  some  curious  Christians,  whose  souls  are  spread 
with  the  leprosy  of  curiosity,  will  never  be  satisfied  till 
they  come  to  see  the  bottom  of  the  most  secret  rea- 
sons of  all  God’s  dealings  towards  them  ; but  they  are 
fools  in  folio  who  affect  to  know  more  than  God  would 
have  them.  Did  not  Adam’s  curiosity  render  him  and 
his  posterity  fools  in  folio  ? And  what  pleasure  can 
we  take  to  see  ourselves  everyday  fools  in  print?  As 
a man  by  gazing  and  prying  into  the  body  of  the  sun 


CURIOSITY. 


381 


may  grow  dark  and  dim,  and  see  less  than  he  other- 
wise might,  so  many,  by  a curious  prying  into  the 
secret  reasons  of  God’s  dealings  with  them,  come  to 
grow  so  dark  and  dim,  that  they  cannot  see  those 
plain  reasons  that  God  hath  laid  down  in  His  word,  why 
He  afflicts  and  tries  the  children  of  men. 

What  an  irresistible  impulse  possesses  all  children 
and  many  grown  people  to  rush  to  the  doorway,  and 
out  upon  the  street  when  a band  of  music  goes 
trumpeting  by.  The  street  parade,  with  its  glittering 
uniforms  and  various  sounds,  calls  out  every  idler  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  you  wonder  how  so  many  peo- 
ple can  find  means  to  live,  and  yet  have  so  little  to  do. 

Aristophanes,  the  comedian,  said,  concerning  Cleon, 
that  “ his  hands  were  in  Petolia  and  his  soul  in  Thief- 
town  so  the  hands  and  feet,  eyes  and  thoughts  of 
inquisitive  persons  are  straggling  about  in  many  places 
at  once.  Neither  the  mansions  of  the  great  nor  the 
cottages  of  the  poor,  nor  the  privy  chambers  of  princes, 
nor  the  recess  of  the  nuptial  alcove,  can  escape  the 
search  of  their  curiosity. 

Curiosity  is  a desire  to  know  why  and  how ; such 
as  is  in  no  living  creature  but  man  : so  that  man  is  dis- 
tinguished, not  only  by  his  reason,  but  also  by  this  singu- 
lar passion,  from  other  animals,  in  whom  the  appetite 
of  food  and  other  pleasures  of  sense,  by  predominance, 
take  away  the  care  of  knowing  causes,  which  is  a lust 
of  the  mind,  that  by  a perseverance  of  delight  in  the 
continual  and  indefatigable  generation  of  knowledge, 
exceedeth  the  short  vehemence  of  any  carnal  pleasure. 

Wirt  says,  “Seize  the  moment  of  excited  curiosity 


382 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


on  any  subject,  to  solve  your  doubts  ; for  if  you  let  it 
pass,  the  desire  may  never  return,  and  you  may  remain 
in  ignorance.”  Curiosity,  then,  is  largely  a source  of 
incentive  or  a motive  for  gaining  knowledge.  It  spurs 
on  the  active  mind  to  ascend  to  new  heights,  and  ex- 
plore unknown  regions.  It  adds  a zest  and  pleasure 
to  many  a task  that  otherwise  would  be  wearisome  and 
uninteresting.  Directed  into  a proper  channel  curi- 
osity is  like  the  turbulent  stream  which  moves  a 
thousand  spindles. 

Where  necessity  ends,  curiosity  begins  ; and  no 
sooner  are  we  supplied  with  everything  that  nature 
can  demand,  than  we  sit  down  to  contrive  artificial 
appetites. 

Curiosity,  that  irksome,  that  tyrannizing  care, 
“ superfluous  industry  about  unprofitable  things,  and 
their  qualities,”  as  Thomas  defines  it ; an  itching  humor 
or  a kind  of  longing  to  see  that  which  is  not  to  be 
seen,  to  do  that  which  ought  not  to  be  done,  to  know 
that  secret  which  should  not  be  known,  to  eat  of  the 
forbidden  fruit.  We  commonly  molest  and  tire  our- 
selves about  things  unfit  and  unnecessary,  as  Martha 
troubled  herself  to  little  purpose.  Be  it  in  religion, 
humanity,  magic,  philosophy,  policy,  any  action  or 
study,  ’ tis  a needless  trouble,  a mere  torment. 


COVETOUSNESS. 


383 


©OYETOUSNESS. 

The  struggle  with  civilized  men  in  this  world  is  for 
wealth.  This  is  called  the  prime  good,  the  one  thing 
needful;  the  great  desideratum  of  life.  So  men  toil 
for  it ; deceive,  cheat,  defraud  for  it ; give  time, 
strength,  and  often  good  health,  for  it.  The  truth  is, 
the  estimate  put  on  wealth  is  too  high.  Its  good,  its 
value,  is  overrated.  It  is  not  the  best  thing  men  can 
have.  It  does  not  confer  peace  of  mind  nor  purity  of 
the  heart,  heartfelt  happiness  nor  contentment,  nor 
home  joy  ; nor  social  blessedness,  nor  any  of  the  solid 
and  enduring  enjoyments.  Wealthy  homes  are  often 
no  happier  than  those  of  the  poor  and  comfortable 
livers.  Poverty  is  always  an  evil;  but  a fair  supply  of 
the  necessaries  and  comforts  of  life  is  quite  as  apt  to 
confer  real  peace  as  great  wealth. 

It  is  not  gold  nor  goods,  therefore,  that  make  men 
really  wealthy.  The  best  wealth  is  of  the  heart,  an 
enlightened  mind,  a loyal  conscience,  pure  affections. 
He  is  the  wealthier  who  has  the  largest  share  of  wisdom, 
virtue  and  love — whose  heart  beats  with  sympathies 
for  his  fellow  men  — who  finds  good  in  all  seasons,  all 
providences  and  all  men.  The  generous  man  who 
pities  the  unfortunate  ; the  poor  man  who  resists  temp- 
tation ; the  wise  man  who  orders  well  his  life  ; clings 
closely  to  his  family  and  friends ; the  studious  man, 
who  seeks  instruction  in  all  things,  are  the  truly 
wealthy  men. 


3§  4 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Greed  is  a sin.  We  firmly  believe  it.  It  is  not 
right.  Nobody  can  make  it  right.  God  hates  it.  By 
every  law  of  right  known  to  us  it  is  unworthy  of  man 
as  a mere  citizen  of  this  world.  But  as  man  is  related 
to  the  world  to  come,  it  is  a sin  against  both  God  and 
man.  He  ignores  what  God  respects,  and  does  a 
wrong  which  God  will  punish.  Greed  and  what  is 
highest  and  noblest  in  man  are  antipodal ; they  are 
like  water  and  oil — they  will  never  mix ; they  are  at 
eternal  war. 

O Christian!  man  renewed  by  grace,  dost  thou 
indeed  believe  that  God  inhabits  thee  with  his  holiness, 
and  makes  thee  his  temple  ? Be  thou,  then,  a temple 
indeed,  a sacred  place  to  him.  Exclude  covetousness; 
make  not  thy  Father’s  house  a house  of  merchandise. 
Deem  every  sin  a sacrilege.  Let  all  thy  thoughts 
within,  like  white-robed  priests,  move  round  the  altar, 
and  keep  the  fire  burning.  Let  thy  affections  be 
always  a cloud,  filling  the  room,  and  inwrapping  thy 
priest-like  thoughts.  Let  thy  hallowed  desires  be  ever 
fanning  the  mercy-seat  with  their  wings. 

Mark  the  careworn  countenance  of  him  who  has 
wasted  the  best  portion  of  his  life  in  the  acquisition  of 
wealth,  not  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  relieve  the 
wants  of  the  destitute  and  afflicted,  but  that  he  might 
be  powerful  and  leave  a rich  legacy  for  his  children 
when  he  is  gone.  Does  his  wealth  secure  happiness? 
Ah,  no  ! He  has  exhausted  his  energies  in  accumulat- 
ing a fortune,  and  received  naught  but  vexation  ol 
spirit  in  return.  He  has  sought  for  gold  and  found 
dross. 


COVETOUSNESS. 


385 


Many  a man,  when  he  begins  to  accumulate  wealth, 
commences  at  the  same  time  to  ruin  his  soul.  Instead 
of  doing-  more  for  God  he  does  less  ; and  the  more  he 
wants  of  this  world  the  less  he  cares  for  the  world  to 
come.  Ambition  makes  the  same  mistake  concerning 
fame  that  avarice  does  concerning  wealth:  she  begins 
by  accumulating  power  as  a means  to  happiness,  and 
she  finishes  by  continuing  to  accumulate  it  as  an  end. 

Consider  somewhat  more  deeply  this  covetousness. 
In  the  original  the  word  is  a very  expressive  one.  It 
means  the  desire  of  having  more — not  of  having  more 
because  there  is  not  enough,  but  simply  a craving 
after  more.  More  when  a man  has  not  enough.  More 
when  he  has.  More,  more,  ever  more.  Give,  give. 
Divide,  divide. 

This  desire  of  accumulation  is  the  source  of  all  our 
greatness,  and  all  our  baseness.  It  is  at  once  our 
glory  and  our  shame.  It  is  the  cause  of  our  com- 
merce, of  our  navy,  of  our  military  triumphs,  of  our 
enormous  wealth,  and  our  marvelous  inventions.  And 
it  is  the  cause  of  our  factions  and  animosities,  of  our 
squalid  pauperism,  and  the  worse  than  heathen  degra- 
dation of  the  masses  of  our  population. 

The  covetous  man  is  like  the  spider.  He  does 
nothing  but  lay  his  wits  to  catch  every  fly,  gaping  only 
for  a booty  of  gain  ; so  yet  more  in  that  whilst  he 
makes  nets  for  these  flies,  he  consumeth  his  own 
bowels,  so  that  which  is  his  life  is  his  death.  And  yet 
he  is  at  least  to  be  pitied,  because  he  makes  himself 
miserable ; like  wicked  Ahab,  the  sight  of  another 

man’s  vineyard  makes  him  sick  ; he  wants  it  for  him- 
25 


386 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


self.  He  hates  his  neighbors  as  bad  as  he  is  hated  by 
them,  and  would  sell  his  best  friend,  if  he  had  one,  for 
a groat.  He  pines  his  body  that  he  may  damn  his 
soul ; and  whenever  disappointed  of  his  expected  gain, 
through  the  accursed  discontent  of  his  mind,  he  would 
dispatch  himself,  but  that  he  is  loth  to  cast  away  his 
money  on  a cord. 

In  the  siege  of  Cassilinum,  Hannibal  so  reduced 
the  citadel  that  there  was  a great  famine.  One  soldier 
possessed  a mouse  that  he  might  have  eaten,  and  so 
appeased  his  cruel  hunger,  but  he  preferred  selling  it 
to  a comrade  for  two  hundred  pence.  He  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  famine,  and  did  not  live  to  enjoy  his 
money,  while  if  he,  had  not  sold  the  mouse,  it  is  said 
that  he  might  have  saved  his  own  life. 

Rich  people  who  are  covetous  are  like  the  cypress 
tree  ; they  may  appear  well,  but  are  fruitless  ; so  rich 
persons  have  the  means  to  be  generous,  yet  some  are 
not  so  ; but  they  should  consider  they  are  only  trustees 
for  what  they  possess,  and  should  show  their  wealth  to 
be  more  in  doing  good  than  merely  in  having  it.  They 
should  not  reserve  their  benevolence  for  purposes 
after  they  are  dead;  for  those  who  give  not  till  they 
die,  show  that  they  would  not  then,  if  they  could  keep 
it  any  longer. 

The  great  and  learned  Hippocrates  wished  a con- 
sultation of  all  the  physicians  in  the  world,  that  they 
might  advise  together  upon  the  means  how  to  cure 
covetousness.  It  is  now  above  two  thousand  years 
since  he  had  this  desire.  After  him  a thousand  and  a 
thousand  philosophers  have  employed  their  endeavors 


COVETOUSNESS. 


3^7 


to  cure  this  insatiable  dropsy.  All  of  them  have  lost 
their  labor  therein  ; the  evil  rather  increases  than 
declines  under  the  multitude  of  remedies.  There  have 
been  a number  in  former  ages  sick  of  it;  and  this  wide 
hospital  of  the  world  is  still  as  full  of  such  patients  as 
ever  it  was. 

In  Sparta  it  was  a law  that  men  should  worship 
the  gods  with  as  little  expense  as  possible.  There  are 
already  enrolled  on  the  church  books  of  the  United 
States  enough  such  Spartans  to  make  three  thousand 
new  Thermopylaes. 

Caligula,  emperor  of  Rome,  seemed  to  be  inflamed 
with  the  passion  for  touching  money.  He  would  fre- 
quently walk  upon  heaps  of  gold,  and  as  the  pieces 
lay  spread  out  in  a large  room  he  would  roll  himself 
over  them  naked.  He  forced  men  in  their  sickness  to 
make  him  their  heir,  and  if  they  recovered  after  mak- 
ing their  wills,  he  poisoned  them.  The  palace  was 
made  a common  brothel  that  his  revenues  mioflit  be 

o 

increased  thereby. 

Can  anything  be  more  senselessly  absurd  than  that 
the  nearer  we  are  to  our  journey’s  end,  we  should  still 
lay  in  more  provisions  for  it  ? 

Hunger  is  allayed  by  eating,  thirst  by  drinking, 
cold  by  putting  on  more  clothing;  but  the  desire  for 
money  is  never  abated  by  any  amount  of  silver,  gold, 
jewels  or  estate.  However  great  one’s  income  the 
desire  for  money  is  constantly  crying,  “More,  more.” 
This  is  a disease  more  incurable  than  the  leprosy. 


388 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Selfishness. 

In  the  first  place,  if  you  want  to  make  yourself 
miserable,  be  selfish.  Think  all  the  time  of  yourself 
and  your  things.  Don’t  care  about  anything  else. 
Have  no  feeling  for  any  but  yourself.  Never  think  of 
enjoying  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  others  happy ; but 
rather,  if  you  see  a smiling  face,  be  jealous  lest  another 
should  enjoy  what  you  have  not.  Envy  everyone  who 
is  better  off  than  yourself ; think  unkindly  towards 
them,  and  speak  lightly  of  them.  Be  constantly 
afraid  lest  some  one  should  encroach  on  your  rights ; 
be  watchful  against  it,  and  if  any  one  comes  near  your 
things  snap  at  them  like  a mad  dog.  Contend  ear- 
nestly for  everything  that  is  your  own,  though  it  may 
not  be  worth  a pin.  Never  yield  a point.  Be  very 
sensitive,  and  take  everything  that  is  said  to  you  in 
playfulness  in  the  most  serious  manner.  Be  jealous 
of  your  friends  lest  they  should  not  think  enough  of 
you;  and  if  at  any  time  they  should  seem  to  neglect 
you,  put  the  worst  construction  upon  their  conduct. 

None  but  a thoroughly  selfish  person  can  be 
always  unhappy.  Life  is  so  equally  balanced  that 
there  is  always  as  much  to  rejoice  as  to  weep  over,  if 
we  are  only  able — and  willing — to  rejoice  in  and  for 
and  through  others. 

“ Time  and  the  hour  run  through  the  roughest  day  ” — 

if  we  will  but  let  it  be  so — if  we  will  allow  our  sky  to 
clear  and  our  wounds  to  heal — believing  in  the  won- 


SELFISHNESS. 


389 


•derful  reparative  powers  of  Nature  when  she  is  given 
free  play.  But  these  poor  souls  will  not  give  her  free 
play;  they  prefer  to  indulge  in  their  grief,  refusing  ob- 
stinately all  remedies,  till  they  bring  on  a chronic  dys- 
pepsia of  the  soul,  which  is  often  combined  with  a 
corresponding  disease  of  the  body. 

A man  who  a few  years  ago  withheld  his  thousands 
which  he  might  have  given  to  the  work  of  God,  is  to- 
day a penniless  beggar  with  no  one  to  pity  him.  His 
treasures  were  laid  up  on  earth ; God  had  the  crumbs, 
the  loaf  he  kept  himself  until  it  was  mouldy,  and  now, 
instead  of  looking  forward  to  the  day  of  reward,  and 
anticipating  the  welcomes  and  benedictions  of  souls 
saved  through  his  instrumentality,  he  has  only  to  look 
back  upon  wasted  endeavors,  perished  possessions, 
departed  wealth,  blighted  hopes,  and  joys  that  have 
withered  to  return  no  more. 

The  man  who  lately  devoted  his  vigor  and  strength 
to  the  useless  race  for  wealth  and  pleasure,  and  vain 
ambition,  and  who  had  time  for  nothing  else  ; and 
whose  vigorous  manhood  was  devoted  to  trifles  light 
as  air,  now  helpless,  wretched  and  distressed,  drawing 
nigh  to  the  grave,  laments  a wasted  existence.  Once 
he  might  have  done  great  things  in  the  cause  and 
name  of  God ; now  he  is  cast  aside  a broken  and  dis- 
honored vessel,  for  which  the  Master  has  no  use.  His 
lifewo'rk  is  undone ; and  instead  of  coming  with  his 
sheaves  and  rejoicing  in  the  final  harvest  day,  he  shall 
bring  before  the  Judge  “ nothing  but  leaves.”  If  self- 
ishness begins  with  the  governing  classes,  woe  to  the 
country  that  is  governed.  The  evil  spreads  downwards, 


390 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  includes  all  classes,  even  the  poorest.  The  race 
of  life  becomes  one  for  mere  pelf  and  self.  Principle 
is  abandoned.  Honesty  is  a forgotten  virtue.  Faith 
dies  out ; and  society  becomes  a scramble  for  place 
and  money. 

The  Duke  of  Burgundy  was  waited  upon  by  a poor 
man,  a very  loyal  subject,  who  brought  him  a very 
large  root  which  he  had  grown.  He  was  a very  poor 
man  indeed,  and  every  root  he  grew  in  his  garden  was 
of  consequence  to  him  ; but  merely  as  a loyal  offering 
he  brought  to  his  prince  the  largest  his  garden  pro- 
duced. The  prince  was  so  pleased  with  the  man’s 
evident  loyalty  and  affection,  that  he  gave  him  a very 
large  sum.  The  steward  thought,  “Well,  I see  this 
pays  ; this  man  has  got  fifty  pounds  for  his  large  root; 

I think  I shall  make  the  Duke  a present.”  So  he 
bought  a horse,  and  he  reckoned  that  he  should 
have  in  return  ten  times  as  much  for  it  as  it  was  worth, 
and  he  presented  it  with  that  view ; the  Duke,  like  a 
wise  man,  quietly  accepted  the  horse,  and  gave  the 
greedy  steward  nothing.  That  was  all.  So  you  say, 
“Well,  here  is  a Christian  man,  and  he  gets  rewarded. 
He  has  been  giving  to  the  poor,  helping  the  Lord’s 
Church,  and  see,  he  is  saved ; the  thing  pays,  I shall 
make  a little  investment.”  Yes  ; but  you  see  the  stew- 
ard did  not  give  the  horse  out  of  any  idea  of  loyalty 
and  kindness  and  love  to  the  Duke,  but  out  of  a very 
great  love  to  himself,  and  therefore  had  no  return  ; and 
if  you  perform  deeds  of  charity  out  of  the  idea  of  get- 
ting to  heaven  by  them,  why,  it  is  yourself  you  are 
feeding,  it  is  yourself  that  you  are  clothing;  all  your 


SELFISHNESS. 


391 


virtue  is  not  virtue,  it  is  rank  selfishness,  it  smells 
strong  of  selfhood,  and  Christ  will  never  accept  it;  you 
will  never  hear  him  say  “Thank  you”  for  it. 

There  is  a great  deal  of  open-hearted  and  open- 
handed  selfishness  in  the  world.  Some  of  the  most 
liberal  givers  in  the  community  are  thoroughly  selfish. 
Selfish  prodigality  is  by  no  means  uncommon.  There 
are  those  who  look  upon  themselves  as  exceptionally 
generous,  and  who  are  even  so  counted  by  their  fel- 
lows, who  are  unmistakably  selfish.  This  is  a truth 
that  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  when  we  are  passing 
upon  the  characteristics  of  ourselves,  or  of  those  whom 
we  have  a right  to  judge — because  of  our  responsibil- 
ity for  their  training.  Selfishness  is  not  always  con- 
joined with  stinginess. 

A little  girl,  who  had  been  very  observant  of  her 
parents’  mode  of  exhibiting  their  charity,  being  asked 
what  generosity  was,  answered,  “It’s  giving  to  the  poor 
all  the  old  stuff  you  don’t  want  yourself.”  And  there 
is  more  truth  than  poetry  in  the  definition.  But  that 
is  not  the  charity  that  covereth  a multitude  of  sins  or 
that  suffereth  long  and  is  kind.  It  is  the  other  kind. 

Every  one  blames  the  fine-lady  daughter  and  pities 
the  poor  drudge-mother. 

The  daughter  sits  in  the  parlor,  in  nice  clothes  and 
elegantly  arranged  hair,  dawdling  over  a novel,  or 
chatting  with  companions  or  friends.  Her  mother  is 
toiling  in  the  kitchen,  or  fretting  her  soul  in  the  vain 
attempt  to  reduce  her  pile  of  “ mending”  and  at  the 
same  time  look  after  a tumbling  baby. 

The  mother’s  face  is  worn  and  thin.  Baby  has 


392 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


pulled  her  hair  askew.  She  still  wears  the  old  dress 
that  she  put  on  in  such  a hurry  at  half-past  five  in  the 
morning,  when  baby  woke  her  from  a weary  sleep. 

She  is  tired  ! She  is  always  tired.  She  is  tired  on 
Saturday,  and  she  is  tired  on  Sunday;  she  is  tired  in 
the  morning,  and  tired  in  the  evening  ; she  goes  to  bed 
and  gets  up  tired. 

It  is  hard  not  to  be  angry  with  the  daughter,  we 
confess.  She  can  look  in  her  exhausted  mother’s  face, 
and  know  how  much  work  there  is  to  be  done,  and 
never  willingly  put  forth  a hand  to  help  her.  Nay, 
she  is  going  out  to  tea  this  evening,  and  will  come  to 
her  mother  to  have  her  dress  adjusted  for  the  great 
occasion.  She  casts  much  of  the  burden  of  her  exist- 
ence upon  the  too  generous  heart  that  she  does  not 
appreciate,  and  never  once  feels  the  impulse  to  give 
the  aid  of  her  youthful  strength. 

In  all  our  modern  world  there  is  not  an  uglier  sight 
than  this,  no,  not  one.  It  is  but  natural  to  throw  the 
blame  of  it  upon  the  daughter.  “Heartless  wretch!” 
we  have  heard  such  a girl  called  by  indignant  acquain- 
tances. 

She  is  to  be  pitied , rather.  When  she  was  a little 
child,  all  lovely  and  engaging,  her  mother  said  to  her- 
self, “ She  shall  not  be  the  drudge  I was.  She  shall 
not  be  kept  out  of  school  to  do  housework,  as  I was. 
She  shall  have  a good  time  while  she  is  young,  for 
there’s  no  knowing  what  her  lot  will  be  afterwards.” 

And  so  her  mother  made  her  young  life  a long 
banquet  of  delights.  Rough  places  were  made  smooth 
for  her;  all  difficulties  were  removed  from  her  path. 


SELFISHNESS. 


593 


The  lesson  taught  her  every  hour  for  years  and  years 
was,  that  it  was  no  great  matter  what  other  people 
suffered,  if  only  her  mother’s  daughter  had  a good 
time. 

She  learned  that  lesson  thoroughly,  and  a frightful 
selfishness  was  developed  in  her. 

Her  eyes  may  fall  upon  these  lines.  If  so,  we  tell 
her  that  people  in  general  will  make  no  allowance  for 
the  faults  of  her  bringing  up  ! They  will  merely  say, 
“ See  what  a shocking  and  shameful  return  she  makes 
for  her  mother’s  indulgent  and  generous  care.” 

I have  seen  parents,  not  intentionally  selfish,  who, 
when  old  age  came  upon  them,  grew  so  exacting, 
fretful,  irritable,  compelled  such  constant  attendance, 
and  insisted  on  such  incessant  sacrifices,  as  literally  to 
take  the  life — or  at  least  all  that  life  was  worth — out 
of  their  children,  whom  everybody  but  themselves  saw 
were  being  “ killed  by  inches,”  as  the  phrase  is.  Only 
fancy ! living  till  one’s  best  friends  say  with  bated 
breath,  “ If  it  would  but  come  to  an  end  ” — that  is,  our 
life : as  the  only  means  of  saving  other  and  more 
precious  lives. 

But  this  need  not  be — it  ought  never  to  be.  A 
little  self-control  at  the  beginning,  a steady,  persistent 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  young  are  young,  and 
we  are  old  ; they  blooming,  we  fading  ; they  going  up 
the  hill,  and  we  down  it — that  this  is  God’s  will,  to  be 
accepted  placidly  and  cheerfully,  and  made  as  little 
trouble  about  as  possible,  and  we  need  not  fear  ever 
becoming  very  “ ugly.” 

We  call  our  errors  by  grand  names,  and  almost 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


boast  of  them — “ I never  take  care  of  myself “I  can’t 
be  bothered  with  my  health “What  does  it  matter 
to  me  if  I am  ill?”  are  the  remarks  one  constantly 
hears,  especially  from  the  young,  just  old  enough  tc 
shirk  authority  and  resent  interference,  but  still  seeing 
only  in  the  dim  distance  that  dark  time  which  must 
come,  sooner  or  later,  when  for  every  ill-usage  it  has 
received,  the  body  avenges  itself  tenfold. 

Does  it  not  matter  indeed  ? — the  extra  labor 
thrown  on  a whole  family  when  one  member  is  ill  ? the 
heartache  of  parents,  the  perplexity  and  distress  of 
friends,  the  serious  annoyance — to  put  no  stronger 
word — that  invalids  always  are  in  a household  ? If,  as 
to  our  would-be  suicides,  the  law  of  the  land,  even 
when  it  saves  them  from  the  river  half  drowned  or  cuts 
them  down  half  hanged,  sentences  them  to  remorseless 
punishment,  should  not  there  be  found  also  some 
fitting  condemnation  for  those  who  commit  the  slow 
suicide  of  ruined  health,  lor  no  cause  but  their  own 
gratification? 

Our  infinite  obligations  to  - God  do  not  fill  our 
hearts  half  as  much  as  a petty  uneasiness  of  our  own  ; 
nor  His  infinite  perfections  as  much  as  our  smallest 
wants.  Our  selfishness  is  so  robust  and  many-clutch- 
ing  that,  well  encouraged,  it  easily  devours  all  sus- 
tenance away  from  our  poor  little  scruples.  There  is 
an  ill-breeding  to  which,  whatever  our  rank  and  nature, 
we  are  almost  equally  sensitive, — the  ill-breeding  that 
comes  from  want  of  consideration  for  others. 

The  story  is  told  of  a clergyman  that,  after  preach- 
ing an  interesting  sermon  on  “ Recognition  of  Friends 


FANATICISM. 


395 


in  Heaven,”  he  was  accosted  by  a hearer,  who  said, 
“ I liked  that  sermon,  and  now  I wish  you  would  preach 
another  on  the  recognition  of  people  in  this  world.  I 
have  been  attending  your  church  for  three  years,  and 
not  five  persons  in  the  congregation  have  so  much  as 
bowed  to  me  in  all  that  time.” 


Fanaticism. 

There  is  a wide  difference  between  a zealous  man 
and  a zealot.  Zeal  is  a very  desirable  quality  if  It  is 
characterized  by  devotion  to  a laudable  end.  Paul 
was  always  zealous,  and  when  he  referred  to  his  early 
record,  described  himself  “concerning  zeal,  persecut- 
ing the  church.”  In  after  days  that  same  spirit  of  zeal 
was  manifest  in  preaching  the  faith  he  had  sought  to 
destroy. 

There  are  few  people  in  our  day  who  have  not  zeal, 
but,  as  Paul  said  of  his  countrymen,  it  is  “not  according 
to  knowledge.”  A man  of  this  class  may  be  easily 
known.  He  may  have  some  talent,  but  he  has  no 
tact.  He  can  clearly  perceive  a desirable  end  and  he 
scruples  very  little  as  to  the  means  he  uses  to  reach  it 
If  a thing  is  admitted  to  be  right  he  is  impatient  of 
slow  processes,  never  dreams  of  forbearance  with  any 
who  do  not  share  his  convictions,  and  is  merciless  to 
those  who  dare  to  resist  his  will.  When  he  has  any 
truth  which  the  world  ought  to  receive  he  utters  it, 
without  any  care  as  to  the  spirit  or  manner  of  its 


396 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


proclamation.  “ Speaking  the  truth  in  love  ” is  the  last 
thing  that  he  thinks  of.  Such  counsels  might  do  for 
those  who  want  to  lead  captive  “silly  women.”  He  has 
a duty  to  discharge,  and  he  will  do  it  at  all  hazards. 
So  he  sends  it  forth  just  about  as  a shell  comes  from 
a mortar,  with  a good  deal  of  unpleasant  friction  in  the 
atmosphere,  and  believing  if  it  makes  things  generally 
uncomfortable,  that  everybody  will  come  and  “ see  his 
zeal  for  the  Lord.” 

As  for  any  thought  of  the  varieties  of  mental 
characteristics,  such  a man  has  too  much  reckless  ig- 
norance to  consider  these  for  a moment.  People 
ought  to  look  at  things  from  the  right  standpoint,  and, 
if"  their  training,  pursuits,  and  associations  have 
prevented  this,  they  ought  to  go  back  to  first  things 
and  begin  life  anew  so  as  to  see  them  as  he  sees 
them.  As  for  his  adapting  his  methods  to  their 
idiosyncrasies  and  weaknesses,  it  is  not  to  be  thought 
of. 

In  fact,  while  he  glories  in  Paul’s  boldness,  he  is 
tempted  to  doubt  the  inspiration  of  Paul’s  writings 
when  he  reads  such  passages  as — “ Give  none  offense, 
neither  to  the  Jews  nor  to  the  Gentiles,  nor  to  the 
church  of  God,”  and  when  he  reads  that  Paul  “pleased 
all  men  in  all  things,”  and  exhorted  Timothy  to 
“meekness”  in  “instructing  those  that  oppose  them- 
selves,” he  only  regrets  that  Paul  had  not  had  the 
privilege  of  learning  from  himself  how  to  deal  with 
such  people. 

Of  course  such  a man  has  no  correct  idea  of  the 
relative  magnitude  of  objects.  The  things  that  occupy 


FANATICISM. 


39  7 


his  mind  are  colossal.  There  are  certain  topics  which 
he  looks  at  through  a magnifying  glass.  When  he 
tries  his  hand  to  give  a representation  of  spiritual 
truth  he  shows  that  he  has  an  independence  of  concep- 
tion which  emancipates  him  from  all  such  shackles  as 
proportion,  distance  and  shade.  The  thing  which 
engrosses  him  every  one  else  should  be  occupied  with. 
It  is  what  the  world  was  made  for  and  the  church  re- 
deemed for,  and  they  are  wretched  failures  if  his  ideas 
are  not  realized.  Every  text  of  scripture  has  a bear- 
ing on  his  favorite  theme,  and  every  description  of 
evil  character  he  applies  to  those  who  do  not  assent  in 
all  things  to  his  utterances. 

Such  a man,  of  course,  has  a following ; he  dra- 
goons weaker  natures  and  they  submissively  do  the 
special  work  he  assigns  them,  while  others  wonder- 
ingly  and  pityingly  inquire  where  their  manhood  is 
gone. 

“It  is  good  to  h,  ealously  affected  always  in  a good 
thing,"  but  zeal  whi_yi  is  destitute  of  courtesy  and  love 
is  like  the  lightning  which  blackens  and  destroys.  It 
has  always  treated  with  contempt  all  rights  of  con- 
science in  others,  but  been  clamorous  for  its  own.  It 
knows  nothing  of  soul  freedom.  It  spilt  the  blood  of 
martyrs  in  other  days,  and  its  policy  in  our  times  is 
social  ostradsm  and  constant  disparagement  for  all 
who  will  not  bow  to  its  behests.  Nevertheless,  let  it  be 
fully  understood  that  only  a man  fit  to  be  a slave  will 
follow  such  a lead.  True  Christian  manhood  recosr- 
nizes  one  and  only  one  Example,  Bishop  and  Master. 

I heard  the  other  day  enthusiastic  praises  of  a sis- 


39§ 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ter  in  one  of  those  Protestant  communities  who  are 
trying — and  not  unwisely — to  emulate  the  Roman 
Catholic  sisters  of  mercy,  by  absorbing  into  useful 
work  the  many  waifs  and  strays  of  useless  spinster- 
hood,  eating  their  hearts  out  in  lonely,  aimless  idleness 
in  the  midst  of  a struggling  and  suffering  world.  But 
this  woman  was  not  lonely.  She  had  a father,  whom 
she  paid  a nurse  to  take  care  of;  married  sisters,  who 
would  have  been  thankful  for  her  occasional  help  in 
their  busy,  anxious  homes;  loving  friends,  to  whom  her 
influence  and  aid  might  often  have  been  invaluable. 
Yet  she  left  them,  one  and  all,  and  went  to  spend  her 
strength — not  so  very  great — upon  strangers.  She 
did  expend  it ; for  she  died,  and  was  almost  canonized 
by  some  people  ; but  some  others,  with  a simpler 
standard  of  holiness,  might  question  whether  this  de- 
voted self-sacrifice  should  not  be  called  by  another 
name — self-will. 

She  did  the  thing  she  wished  to  do,  rather  than  what 
seemed  laid  before  her  to  do ; and  though  it  is  always 
difficult  to  judge  such  cases  from  the  outside  without 
being  unjust  to  somebody,  I think  it  is  an  open  ques- 
tion whether  she  did  right  or  wrong. 

The  same  doubt  arises  when  one  hears  of  soldiers 
volunteering — not  sent,  but  volunteering — on  danger- 
ous expeditions,  leaving  young  wives  or  helpless  chil- 
dren to  endure  at  home  the  agony  of  suspense  over  a 
risk  which  was  not  demanded  by  duty. 

Not  all  fanatics  are  recognized  as  such.  Many 
whose  professions  of  allegiance  to  the  right,  and 
whose  reputation  for  common  sense  are  of  the  best, 


FANATICISM. 


399 


are  yet  fanatical  in  action.  It  has  been  said  by  some 
writer  that  the  whisper  of  a beautiful  woman  can  be 
heard  farther  than  the  loudest  call  of  duty. 

A story  is  told  of  an  old  hunter  in 'Michigan,  who, 
when  the  country  was  new,  got  lost  in  the  woods 
several  times.  He  was  told  to  buy  a pocket-compass, 
which  he  did,  and  a friend  explained  to  him  its  use. 
He  soon  got  lost  and  lay  out  as  usual.  When  found 
he  was  asked  why  he  did  not  travel  by  the  compass. 
He  said  he  did  not  dare  to.  He  wished  to  go  north, 
and  he  tried  hard  to  make  the  thing  point  north,  but 
’twasn’t  any  use.  “’Twould  shake,  shake,  right  round 
and  point  southeast  every  time.” 

A great  many  people  fail  of  the  right  direction  in 
life  for  the  same  reason  of  the  mishap  which  befell  our 
Wolverine  friend — they  are  afraid  to  take  the  Bible 
and  follow  just  as  it  points. 

Mr.  Moody  says,  “It  is  hard  to  get  people  to  admit 
that  they  are  sinners.  I preached  once  in  the  Tombs 
in  New  York.  I stood  on  an  iron  bridge  and  spoke 
to  three  or  four  hundred  prisoners  in  their  cells. 
They  could  hear  me,  but  I couldn’t  see  any  of  them. 
After  finishing  the  sermon  I went  around  from  cell  to 
cell  to  talk  with  the  inmates.  In  the  first  were  four 
men  playing  cards.  They  said  that  the  men  who 
committed  the  crime  got  clear,  and  they  were  caught 
by  mistake  and  wrongfully  condemned.  The  man  in 
the  next  cell  was  there  because  he  unfortunately  re- 
sembled the  real  criminal.  It  was  a case  of  error  in 
indentification.  The  third  man  visited  claimed  to  have 
been  condemned  because  witnesses  swore  falsely 


400 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


against  him.  The  fourth  man  had  not  been  tried  yet, 
but  was  sure  of  being  acquitted  when  he  was.  I 
never  found  such  an  innocent  set  of  men  in  my  life.” 
Fallacies  are  very  long-lived.  We  overheard  a 
conversation  the  other  day  in  which  the  old  delusion 
came  out,  as  fresh  3s  ever,  “After  all,  it  don’t  matter 
what  a man  believes  if  he  only  does  right.”  We 
passed  on  our  way  wondering  if  the  speaker  would 
be  willing  to  apply  his  principle  to  anything  except 
religion.  Does  it  make  no  difference  in  a man’s 
business  operations  whether  he  believes  in  honesty  or 
knavery  ? Does  a man  worthy  of  the  suffrage  believe 
one  way  and  vote  another  ? And  shall  it  be  said  that 
it  makes  no  difference  in  a man’s  character  and  destiny 
whether  he  believes  in  virtue,  goodness  and  righteous- 
ness? Does  it  have  no  bearing  on  a man’s  daily  life 
to  believe  he  shall  reap  what  he  sows  ? Is  there  no 
inspiration  to  right  doing  in  a firm  belief  in  a holy, 
just  and  merciful  God  ? It  is  time  that  the  old 
fallacy  which  denies  this  should  be  rooted  out. 
Thinking,  feeling  and  acting  are  connected  links  in 
our  being.  “As  a man  thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he.” 
The  trouble  with  the  skepticism  of  the  age  is  that 
it  is  not  thorough  enough.  It  questions  everything 
but  its  own  foundations.  Infidelity  gains  the  victory, 
when  it  wrestles  with  hypocrisy  or  with  superstition, 
but  never  when  its  antagonist  is  reason.  In  some 
sense  all  criminals  are  insane.  All  crimes  arise  from 
insane  greed,  frenzied  passion,  or  maddened  revenge. 
I have  noticed  that  many  who  do  not  believe  in  God 
believe  in  everything  else,  even  in  the  evil  eye. 


FANATICISM. 


401 


The  fanatical  fear  of  the  “ Evil  Eye,”  is  one  of  the 
strongest  passions  of  an  Egyptian.  It  was  one  of  uni- 
versal prevalence  even  in  the  Christian  world,  a few 
years  since,  and  this  superstition  may  still  be  found 
amongst  the  European  peasantry.  The  glance  of  an 
evil  eye  is  greatly  dreaded. 

Despair  seizes  the  minds  of  men  whose  desires  are 
boundless,  and  who  see  at  last  a limit  set  to  their 
ambition.  Alexander  cried  because  there  were  no 
more  kingdoms  to  conquer.  It  was  the  same  with 
Mahmoud,  the  Ghiznevide,  the  first  Mohammedan 
conqueror  of  India.  When  he  felt  himself  dying,  he 
caused  all  his  treasures  of  gold  and  jewels  to  be  dis- 
played before  him.  When  he  surveyed  them,  he  wept 
like  a child.  “Alas!”  said  he,  “what  dangers,  what 
fatigues  of  body  and  mind,  have  I endured  for  the  sake 
of  acquiring  those  treasures,  and  what  cares  in  pre- 
serving them!  And  now  I am  about  to  die  and  leave 
them!”  He  was  interred  in  his  palace  where  his  un- 
happy ghost  was  afterwards  believed  to  wander. 

The  death  of  Charles  IX  of  France  was  a terrible 
one.  He  had  authorized  the  massacre  of  the  Hugfue- 
nots  on  the  fearful  night  of  St.  Bartholomew,  and  was 
haunted  by  its  horrors  during  his  dying  moments.  “I 
know  not  how  it  is,”  he  said  to  his  surgeon,  Ambrose 
Pare,  “but  for  the  last  few  days  I feel  as  in  a fever. 
My  mind  and  body  are  both  disturbed.  Every  mo- 
ment, whether  I am  asleep  or  awake,  visions  of  mur- 
dered corpses,  covered  with  blood  and  hideous  to  the 
sight,  haunt  me.  Oh,  I wish  I had  spared  the  innocent 

and  the  imbecile  !”  He  died  two  years  after  the  mas- 
26 


402 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


sacre,  and  to  the  last  moment  the  horrors  of  the  day 
of  St.  Bartholomew  were  present  without  ceasing  to 
his  mind. 


Flattery. 

He  does  me  double  wrong  that  wounds  me  with  the  flatteries  of  his 
tongue. — Shakespeare. 

Flattery  is  often  a traffic  of  mutual  meanness, 
where,  although  both  parties  intend  deception,  neither 
are  deceived,  since  words  that  cost  little  are  exchanged 
for  hopes  that  cost  less.  Though  flattery  blossoms 
like  friendship,  yet  there  is  a great  difference  in  the 
fruit. 

The  coin  that  is  most  current  among  mankind  is 
flattery ; the  only  benefit  of  which  is  that  by  hearing 
.what  we  are  not,  we  may  be  instructed  what  we  ought 
to  be.  Blinded  as  they  are  to  their  true  character  by 
self-love,  every  man  is  his  own  first  and  chiefest  flat- 
terer, prepared,  therefore,  to  welcome  the  flatterer  from 
the  outside,  who  only  comes  confirming  the  verdict  of  the 
flatterer  within.  Flattery  is  an  ensnaring  quality,  and 
leaves  very  dangerous  impressions.  It  swells  a man’s 
imagination,  entertains  his  fancy,  and  drives  him  to  a 
doting  upon  his  own  person. 

It  is  sometimes  very  hard  to  decide  which  gives  us 
more  pleasure — to  hear  ourselves  praised,  or  to  hear 
our  neighbors  run  down.  Because  all  men  are  apt  to 
flatter  themselves,  to  entertain  the  addition  of  other 
men’s  praises  is  most  perilous.  The  evil  results  of 


FLATTERY. 


403 


contact  with  persistent  flatterers  may  be  seen  on  every 
hand,  in  those  dispositions  and  characters  which  are 
puffed  up  with  such  an  inordinate  share  of  vanity  and 
self-conceit. 

Guard  the  young  and  artless  from  contact  with 
flatterers,  as  you  would  guard  them  from  vipers.  “ Oh 
what  a pretty  child  you  are,”  often  repeated  in  its  ears, 
has  proved  the  everlasting  ruin  of  many  an  otherwise 
useful  life.  Flattery  corrupts  the  soul,  raises  false 
hopes,  deadens  the  sense  of  duty,  overthrows  the  judg- 
ment, and  dethrones  right  reason.  Lift  your  voice  and 
your  influence  against  this  monstrous  evil,  and  thus 
gain  one  step  towards  an  approving  conscience  and  a 
peaceful  life. 

Goldsmith  tells  us: 

“For  praise  too  dearly  loved,  or  warmly  sought, 

Enfeebles  all  internal  strength  of  thought; 

And  the  weak  soul  within  itself  unblest, 

Leans  for  all  pleasure  on  another’s  breast.” 

Sir  Matthew  Hale  says  if  a man,  whose  integrity 
you  do  not  very  well  know,  makes  you  great  and  extra- 
ordinary professions,  do  not  give  much  credit  to  him. 
Probably  you  will  find  that  he  aims  at  something  be- 
sides kindness  to  you,  and  that,  when  he  has  served 
his  turn,  or  been  disappointed,  his  regard  for  you  will 
grow  cool. 

The  art  of  flatterers  is  to  take  advantage  of  the 
foibles  of  the  great,  to  foster  their  errors,  and  never  to 
give  advice  which  may  annoy. 

Suspect  men  and  women  who  affect  great  softness 
of  manner  and  unruffled  evenness  of  temper,  and  an 
enunciation  studied,  slow  and  deliberate.  These 


404 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


things  are  all  unnatural,  and  bespeak  a degree  of 
mental  discipline  into  which  he  that  has  no  sinister 
motive  cannot  submit  to  drill  himself.  The  most 
successful  knaves  are  sharp  and  smooth  as  razors 
dipped  in  oil.  They  affect  the  innocence  of  the  dove 
to  hide  the  cunning  of  the  serpent. 

The  following  is  Father  Sheldon’s  satire  on  flat- 
terers : “ The  monkey  was  once  employed  to  paint 

portraits.  He  painted  to  the  life.  He  gave  the  ass 
his  long  ears  ; the  lion  his  shaggy  mane  ; the  tiger  his 
blood-thirsty  appearance ; the  wolf  his  sly,  deceitful 
look.  The  result  was,  criticisms  were  abundant,  and 
complaints  loud.  The  fox  took  up  the  profession.  He 
shortened  the  ears  of  the  ass ; gave  the  lion  a look  of 
more  majesty  and  less  terror;  took  away  the  blood- 
thirsty appearance  of  the  tiger ; and  the  wolf  could 
hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  faithful  house-dog. 
The  fox  became  popular  as  a painter,  and  the  monkey 
had  no  employment  but  to  paint  sheep,  horses  and 
useful  animals  of  that  sort.” 

As  illustrating  the  universal  homage  paid  to 
wealth,  a good  story  comes  to  us  of  two  ladies  who 
met  upon  a recent  social  occasion.  They  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  meeting  upon  the  same  occasion  for 
several  years  and — passing  on.  This  time  they  met 
and  chatted  most  affably.  Said  number  one  to  num- 
ber two:  “How  well  you  are  looking,  Mrs.  Blank.  I 
think  I have  never  seen  you  looking  so  well.”  “Oh, 
yes,”  said  lady  number  two,  “ but  I think  I shall  be  bet- 
ter looking  next  year,  if  my  husband’s  income  keeps 
on  increasing.  Rich  ladies  are  always  handsome.” 


EVIL  CRITICISM. 


40.5 


And  she  spoke  so  laughingly  that  it  was  not  until  she 
had  passed  on  that  the  very  complimentary  lady  was 
fully  aware  of  the  implied  rebuke. 

We  sometimes  think  we  hate  flattery  ; but  we  only 
hate  the  way  in  which  we  are  flattered.  Flattery  is 
false  money  which  would  not  be  current,  were  it  not 
for  our  vanity. 


Gvil  ©i^itigism. 

Dr.  Kitto  exhibits  scandal  in  its  true  deformity, 
where  he  describes  it  as  “a  compound  of  malignity  and 
simulation ; never  urging  an  opinion  with  the  bold 
consciousness  of  truth,  but  dealing  in  a monstrous 
jargon  of  half-sentences,  conveying  its  ambiguities  by 
emphasis ; thus  confirming  the  evil  they  affect  to 
deplore.” 

Those  persons  who  indulge  this  ignoble  habit 
he  characterizes  as  the  hyenas  of  society,  perpetu- 
ally prowling  over  reputations,  which  are  their  prey; 
lamenting,  and  at  the  same  time  enjoying,  the  ruin  they 
create. 

To  hint  at  a fault  does  more  mischief  than  speaking 
out ; for  whatever  is  left  for  the  imagination  to  finish, 
will  not  fail  to  be  overdone  ; every  hiatus  will  be  more 
than  filled  up,  and  every  pause  more  than  supplied. 
There  is  less  malice,  and  less  mischief,  too,  in  telling  a 
man’s  name,  than  the  initials  of  it;  as  a worthier  person 
may  be  involved  in  the  most  disgraceful  suspicions  by 
such  a dangerous  ambiguity. 


406  well-springs  of  truth. 

A sneer  is  the  weapon  of  the  weak.  Like  other 
evil  weapons,  it  is  always  cunningly  ready  to  our 
hands,  and  there  is  more  poison  in  the  handle  than  in 
the  point.  But  how  many  noble  hearts  have  withered 
with  its  venomous  stab  and  festered  with  its  subtile 
malignity. 

The  longer  I live,  the  more  I feel  the  importance  of 
adhering  to  the  rules  I have  laid  down  for  myself  in 
relation  to  such  matters  : 

To  hear  as  little  as  possible  to  the  prejudice  of 
others.  To  believe  nothing  of  the  kind  till  I am  abso- 
lutely forced  to  it.  Never  to  drink  into  the  spirit  of 
one  who  circulates  an  ill  report.  Always  to  moderate, 
as  far  as  I can,  the  unkindness  which  is  expressed 
towards  others.  Always  to  believe  that,  if  the  other 
side  were  heard,  a very  different  account  would  be 
given  of  the  matter.  Never  say  of  another  what  you 
would  not  have  him  hear.  Everybody  is  glad  when 
the  biter  is  bitten.  When  a man  begins  to  find  fault 
with  other  people,  he  may  well  be  advised  to  look  for 
evil  in  his  own  heart  and  life. 

Keep  clear  of  personalities  in  conversation.  Small 
minds  occupy  themselves  with  persons.  When  you 
must  talk  of  persons,  dwell  on  the  good  side.  There 
are  family  boards  where  a continual  criticism  and 
cutting  up  of  character  go  on,  but  it  is  not  a pleasant 
thing  to  a kind  heart — one  does  not  like  to  dine  off  a 
dissecting  table. 

One  who  seemed  to  live  that  he  might  stab  the 
successful  character,  and  whose  words  seemed  to  feed 
a vicious  public,  thus  writes  of  those  whom  the  world 


EVIL  CklllUoM. 


407 


delights  to  honor : “ Sir  Walter  Scott,  a toothless  re- 

o 

tailer  of  old  wives’  fables ; Brougham,  an  eternal 
grinder  of  commonplace  and  pretentious  noise,  like  a 
man  playing  on  a hurdy-gurdy;  Coleridge,  talking  in 
a maudlin  sleep  an  infinite  deal  of  nothing  ; Words- 
worth, stooping  to  extract  a spiritual  catsup  from 
mushrooms  which  were  little  better  than  toad  stools ; 
Peel,  a plausible  fox  ; John  Wilson  Croker,  an  un- 
hanged hound  ; Lord  John  Russell,  a turnspit  of  good 
pedigree  ; Lord  Melbourne,  a monkey  ; ‘ these  be  thy 
gods,  O Israel  ?’  Others  occupied  in  undertakings  as 
absurd  as  to  seek  to  suck  the  moon  out  of  the  sky; 
this  wind-bag  yelping  for  liberty  to  the  negro,  and  that 
other  for  the  improvement  of  prisons — all  sham  and 
imposture  together — a giant  lie — which  may  soon  go 
down  into  hell  fire.” 

We  should  be  reluctant  to  think  that  everybody’s 
talk  is  of  necessity  much  of  the  time  about  his  neigh- 
bors. It  is  a fact  that  a great  deal  of  most  delightful 
conversation  is  not  about  persons  at  all,  but  about  na- 
ture, or  books,  or  political  changes,  or  the  last  lecture, 
or  the  concert  that  was  given  the  other  night.  Still 
there  is  a temptation  to  talk  about  other  people  some- 
times, and  it  seems  to  us,  that  if  such  talk  is  not  ma- 
licious in  spirit,  or  unkind  in  tone,  it  is  on  the  whole 
pardonable.  But  to  speak  with  a sneer  of  the  foibles 

of  Mrs.  A , and  the  next  moment  to  welcome  her 

to  your  parlor  with  a kiss,  as  if  you  had  no  friend  so 
delightful ; to  say  “ good-bye,  my  dear,  come  again 
soon ,”  with  honeyed  emphasis  to  Miss  B , and  be- 

fore the  rustle  of  her  skirts  is  gone,  to  say,  “ Horrid 


408 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


old  thing  ! I’m  glad  that’s  over  this  is  to  be  insin- 
cere and  untrue.  There  is,  we  are  sorry  to  admit,  far 
too  much  6f  this  sort  of  easy  lying  in  our  social  inter- 
course, and  those  who  indulge  in  it  would  do  well  to 
remember  the  quotation  with  which  we  began.  If  we 
accustom  ourselves  to  ungentleness  or  insincerity  in 
our  speech  or  thought  concerning  our  friends,  we  may 
be  assured  that  they  may  be  doing  the  same  with  re- 
gard to  us. 

There  is  no  spirit  more  hurtful  to  its  possessor 
than  a suspicious  spirit.  “ Think  evil  of  no  man,”  is 
the  divine  counsel.  “ Suspicions  among  thoughts,” 
says  Lord  Bacon,  “are  like  bats  among  birds;  they  will 
fly  in  the  night.”  Such  thoughts  cloud  the  mind,  sep- 
arate friends,  and  ruin  our  enjoyment.  The  Italians 
say,  “ Suspicion  dismisses  fidelity.”  It  weakens  faith, 
cools  love,  beclouds  hope,  and  turns  green  fields  into 
arid  deserts.  Drive  away  suspicion,  and  cultivate  con- 
fidence. 

Think  twice  before  you  believe  every  evil  story  you 
hear,  and  think  twenty  times  before  you.  repeat  it. 
Say  to  yourself,  “ This  may  not  be  true,  or  it  may  be 
exaggerated,”  unless  you  have  proof  of  the  veracity 
of  your  informant.  Persons  sometimes  tell  falsehoods, 
they  often  make  mistakes,  and  they  sometimes  hear 
wrong. 

It  is  a very  easy  thing  to  criticise  another’s  work ; 
but  much  more  difficult  to  take  hold  and  do  better 
yourself.  In  other  words,  “It  is  one  thing  to  see 
that  a line  is  crooked,  and  another  thing  to  be  able  to 
draw  a straight  one.”  It  is  well  before  sneering  at  the 


EVIL  CRITICISM 


409 


crooked  marks  made  by  another,  to  ask,  “Am  I sure 
that  I can  do  better?”  Sometimes  we  are  very  con- 
fident that  we  possess  the  power  to  do  better,  when 
one  attempt  would  prove  it  otherwise.  The  wise 
person  is  always  chary  of  criticising. 

When  any  person  of  really  eminent  virtue  becomes 
the  object  of  envy  the  clamor  and  abuse  by  which  he 
is  assailed  is  but  the  sign  and  accompaniment  of  his 
success  in  doing  service  to  the  public.  And  if  he  is  a 
truly  wise  man,  he  will  take  no  more  notice  of  it  than 
the  moon  does  of  the  howling  of  the  dogs.  Her  only 
answer  to  them  is  “ to  shine  on.” 

A man  that  hath  no  virtue  in  himself  ever  envieth 
virtue  in  others — for  men’s  minds  will  either  feed  on 
their  own  good,  or  upon  other’s  evil ; and  who  wanteth 
the  one  will  prey  upon  the  other ; and  whoever  is  out 
of  hope  to  attain  another’s  virtue  will  seek  to  come  at 
even  hand  by  depressing  another’s  fortune.  Bitter- 
ness always  hints  of  ah  old  half-healed  hurt.  Cyni- 
cism is  the  scar  of  sorely  wounded  faith  ; scepticism, 
the  crumbling  corpse  of  belief.  Nothing  can  reconcile 
envy  to  virtue  but  death 

The  cynic  is  one  who  never  sees  a good  quality  in 
a man,  and  never  fails  to  see  a bad  one.  He  is  the 
human  owl,  vigilant  in  darkness,  and  blind  to  light; 
mousing  for  vermin,  and  never  seeing  noble  game. 
The  cynic  puts  all  human  actions  into  only  two  classes, 
openly  bad,  and  secretly  bad.  All  virtue  and  generosity 
and  disinterestedness  are  merely  the  appearance  of 
good,  but  selfish  at  the  bottom.  He  holds  that  no 
man  does  a good  thing  except  for  profit.  The  effect 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH 


4IC 

of  his  conversation  upon  your  feelings  is  to  chill  and 
sear  them  ; to  send  you  away  sour  and  morose.  His 
criticisms  and  inuendoes  fall  indiscriminately  upon 
every  lovely  thing,  like  frost  upon  flowers. 

Thus  his  eye  strains  out  every  good  quality,  and 
takes  in  only  the  bad.  To  him  religion  is  hypocrisy, 
honesty  a preparation  for  fraud,  virtue  only  want  of 
opportunity,  and  undeniable  purity  asceticism.  The 
livelong  day  he  will  sit  with  sneering  lip,  uttering 
sharp  speeches  in  the  quietest  manner,  and  in  polished 
phrase  transfixing  every  character  which  is  presented. 
“ His  words  are  softer  than  oil,  yet  are  they  drawn 
swords.’5 

— 

Gvili  FOI^  Gvilio 

The  impulse  of  rendering  evil  for  evil  is  one  of  the 
strongest  to  be  found  in  the  human  breast.  But  the 
indulgence  of  this  passion  soon  begets  a degree  of 
baseness,  that  stops  not  with  rendering  evil  to  those 
who  have  injured  us,  but  passes  on  to  distress  those 
who  have  done  us  no  evil;  nor  content  with  this,  it 
usually  ends  with  making  those  unhappy  who  have 
most  carefully  sought  to  do  us  good 

“The  ear  of  jealousy  heareth  all  things,”  says  the 
wise  man  ; frequently  I believe  more  than  is  uttered, 
which  makes  the  company  of  persons  infected  with  it 
still  more  dangerous.  Treachery  fosters  treachery, 
and  evil  produces  evil  of  like  kind.  It  is  everywhere 
observed  that  a liberated  slave  is  apt  to  make  a merer 


EVIL  FOR  EVIL. 


4H 

less  master,  and  that  boys  who  have  been  cruelly  fag- 
ged at  school  are  cruel  faggers. 

He  who  betrays  another’s  secret  because  he  has 
quarrelled  with  him  was  never  worthy  of  the  name  of 
friend;  a breach  of  kindness  will  not  justify  a breach 
of  trust.  Of  all  human  frailties  there  are  none  so  base 
as  ingratitude,  none  so  infamous  as  to  return  evil  for 
good — to  debase  the  purest  friendship  extended  to  us 
by  lifelong  friends, 

“ Envy,”  says  Lord  Bacon,  “ has  no  holidays.” 
There  cannot,  perhaps,  be  a more  lively  and  striking 
description  of  the  miserable  state  of  mind  those  endure 
who  are  tormented  with  this  vice.  A spirit  of  emula- 
tion has  been  supposed  to  be  the  source  of  the 
greatest  improvements  ; and  there  is  no  doubt  but  the 
warmest  rivalship  will  produce  the  most  excellent  re- 
sults ; but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  a perpetual  state  of 
contest  will  injure  the  temper  so  essentially  that  the 
mischief  will  hardly  be  counterbalanced  by  any  other 
advantages.  Those  whose  progress  is  the  most  rapid 
will  be  apt  to  despise  their  less  successful  competitors, 
who,  in  return,  will  feel  the  bitterest  resentment 
against  their  more  fortunate  rivals. 

When  an  envious  man  is  melancholy,  one  may  ask 
him,  in  the  words  of  Bion,  what  evil  has  befallen  him, 
or  what  good  has  happened  to  another.  This  last  is 
the  scale  by  which  he  principally  measures  his  felicity, 
and  the  very  smiles  of  his  friends  are  so  many  deductions 
from  his  own  happiness.  The  wants  of  others  are  the 
standard  by  which  he  sates  his  own  enjoyments,  and 


412  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

he  estimates  his  riches,  not  so  much  by  his  own 
possessions  as  by  the  necessities  of  his  neighbors. 

Anger  is  less  reasonable  and  more  sincere  than 
envy.  Anger  breaks  out  abruptly:  envy  is  a great 
prefacer.  Anger  wishes  to  be  understood  at  once : 
envy  is  fond  of  remote  hints  and  ambiguities  ; but  ob- 
scure as  its  oracles  are,  it  never  ceases  to  deliver  them 
till  they  are  perfectly  comprehended.  Anger  repeats 
the  same  circumstances  over  again  : envy  invents  new 
ones  at  every  fresh  recital.  Anger  gives  a broken, 
vehement  and  interrupted  narrative  : envy  tells  a more 
consistent  and  more  probable,  though  a falser,  tale. 

Law-breakers  always  come  to  evil  in  the  end.  In 
Great  Britain  there  is  a law  under  which  certain  offi- 
cers mark  a line  on  a vessel’s  hull  to  show  how  deep 
in  the  water  she  may  be  loaded.  On  one  occasion  a 
captain  wanted  to  carry  a greater  load  than  the  law 
allowed.  He  took  a lantern  and  a paint-brush  one 
night,  and  moved  the  regular  “ load-line”  up  several 
inches.  The  officers  who  inspected  the  load  thought 
that  it  was  all  right,  as  they  could  trace  the  line  along 
the  edge  of  the  water.  So  far  the  captain’s  trick  was 
successful.  He  passed  out  of  the  Thames  and  went  to 
sea  bound  for  a foreign  port.  But  the  vessel  never 
afterwards  was  heard  from.  She  was  overloaded,  and 
so  foundered  in  a storm. 

A young  woman  who  served  out  a sentence  of  five 
years  in  the  Maine  state’s  prison  found  means  of  edu- 
cation, and,  becoming  thoroughly  reformed,  left  the 
prison  in  appearance  a lady.  She  was  employed  by  a 
dry-goods  firm  in  Portland  as  saleswoman,  and  gave 


EVIL  FOR  EVIL. 


413 


perfect  satisfaction  to  her  employers,  till  one  day  a 
wealthy  lady  of  the  place  entered  the  store  and  recog- 
nized her.  Calling  the  proprietor  aside,  she  told  him 
that  the  girl  had  been  in  the  state’s  prison.  He  replied 
that  he  knew  it,  but  she  had  done  her  duty  faithfully, 
and  that  they  were  well  satisfied  with  her.  “Well,”  said 
the  lady,  “ if  you  keep  her  in  your  store  I will  neither 
trade  with  you  myself  nor  suffer  any  of  my  friends  to, 
if  I can  help  it.”  So  the  proprietor,  rather  than  lose 
his  customer,  called  the  poor  girl  and  discharged  her. 

John  the  Almsgiver,  Bishop  of  Alexandria,  was 
one  day  visited  by  a nobleman.  In  the  course  of  con- 
versation the  nobleman  declared,  with  warmth,  that  he 
would  never,  to  his  dying  day,  forgive  a certain  man 
who  had  cruelly  wronged  him.  Just  then  the  bell  in 
the  Bishop’s  private  chapel  rang  for  prayers. 

Entering  the  chapel,  the  two  men  knelt  before  the 
altar.  Presently  the  Bishop  began  to  repeat,  in  a loud 
voice,  the  Lord’s  prayer,  and  the  nobleman  repeated 
each  petition  after  him. 

“Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven. 
Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.”  The  bishop 
stopped  abruptly.  The  nobleman  went  on  alone: 
“and  forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  those 
who  trespass  against  us.”  Then,  finding  that  he  alone 
was  praying,  he  also  stopped.  The  bishop  remained 
kneeling,  but  was  silent.  Suddenly  the  sense  of  the 
petition  he  had  uttered  rushed  on  the  nobleman’s 
mind.  He  was  appalled  at  his  own  prayer.  Silently 
he  arose  from  his  knees,  went  forth,  and  finding  the 
man  who  had  injured  him,  frankly  forgave  him. 


4H 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Two  brothers  had  fallen  out,  and  in  the  heat  of  his 
passion  the  elder  struck  the  younger  on  the  cheek. 
Brave  as  steel  and  quick  as  lightning,  the  younger 
raised  his  arm  to  return  the  blow ; but  ere  it  fell  he 
remembered  how  he  had  read  that  morning  by  his 
mother’s  knee  these  words,  “When  one  smites  thee  on 
the  one  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.”  A simple 
child,  who  took  Christ’s  words  in  their  ordinary  sense, 
he  drops  his  arm,  and  turning  on  his  brother  eyes 
where  tears  of  forgiveness  had  quenched  the  flash  of 
anger,  he  offered  the  other  cheek  for  a second  blow. 
It  was  the  other’s  turn  to  weep  now,  Surprised,  sub- 
dued, melted,  he  fell  on  his  brother’s  neck  and  kissing 
him,  acknowledged  his  offense,  and  asked  forgiveness. 
And  there,  locked  in  fond  embrace,  the  two  boys 
stood,  a living  proof  that  our  Lord’s  highest  and 
apparently  most  impracticable  injunctions  admit  of  a 
more  literal  obedience  than  any  give  them. 

— 

Blasphemy. 

It  is  no  mark  of  a gentleman  to  swear.  The  most 
worthless  and  vile,  the  refuse  of  mankind,  the  drunk- 
ard and  prostitute,  swear  as  well  as  the  best  dressed 
and  would-be  gentleman.  No  particular  endowments 
are  required  to  give  a finish  to  the  art  of  cursing.  The 
basest  and  meanest  of  mankind  swear  with  as  much 
tact  and  skill  as  the  most  refined;  and  he  that  wishes 
to  degrade  himself  to  the  very  lowest  level  of  pollution 


BLASPHEMY. 


415 


and  shame  should  learn  to  be  a common  swearer. 
Any  man  has  talents  enough  to  learn  to  curse  God, 
and  imprecate  perdition  on  himself  and  his  fellow-men. 
Profane  swearing  never  did  any  man  any  good.  No 
man  is  the  richer  or  wiser  or  happier  for  it.  It  helps 
no  one’s  education  or  manners.  It  commends  no  one 
to  any  society.  It  is  digusting  to  the  refined;  abomi- 
nable to  the  good;  insulting  to  those  with  whom  we  as- 
sociate; degrading  to  the  mind;  unprofitable,  needless 
and  injurious  to  society;  and  wantonly  to  profane  his 
name,  to  call  his  vengeance  down,  to  curse  him,  and 
to  invoke  his  vengeance,  is  perhaps  of  all  offenses  the 
most  awful  in  the  sight  of  God. 

There  are  men  who  are  so  in  the  habit  of  using 
profane  language  that  it  almost  flows  from  their  lips 
without  malice  or  meaning ; and  there  are  those  who 
regard  profane  language  as  an  indication  of  manly 
courage  and  gentlemanly  bearing.  Dr.  Annesley, 
while  dining  at  a coffee-house,  ordered  a glass  of  water 
to  be  sent  to  the  gentleman  in  the  next  box,  whose 
profane  oaths  were  very  annoying.  He  was  sur- 
prised, and  said  he  had  given  no  such  order.  The 
doctor  said,  gravely,  “I  thought  to  cool  your  tongue 
after  the  fiery  language  you  have  been  using.”  The 
man  was  offended  and  challenged  him,  but  he  excused 
himself  on  account  of  his  cloth.  Some  years  after  he 
met  the  man,  who  apologized  and  thanked  him  for  his 
reproof,  which  had  cured  him  of  a wicked  habit. 

The  habit  of  profane  blasphemy,  once  fixed  upon  a 
man,  is  hard  to  overcome.  A very  estimable  man  of 
sixty  years  was  prostrated  with  brain  fever,  and  in  his 


41  6 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

delirium  shocked  his  friends  by  his  blasphemous  pro- 
fanity. After  his  recovery  he  was  told  of  it,  and  con- 
fessed that  in  youth  he  was  terribly  profane.  “ It  is 
forty  years  since  I uttered  a profane  word.  I supposed 
the  habit  was  gone  from  me  ; but  the  leprosy  is  still  in 
my  blood.  The  tiger  is  chained,  but  he  is  alive.” 
Daily  grace  is  the  only  cure.  Beware  of  profanity  in 
youth. 

The  Sunday-school  in  Rockville  was  assembled  for 
their  monthly  concert.  The  lesson  was  about  swear- 
ing, and  when  the  children  had  repeated  their  verses, 
the  minister  rose  to  talk  to  them. 

“ I hope,  dear  children,”  he  said,  “that you  will  never 
let  your  lips  speak  profane  words.  But  now  I want  to 
tell  you  about  a kind  of  swearing  which  I heard  a good 
woman  speak  about  not  long  ago.  She  called  it  wooden 
swearing.  It  is  a kind  of  swearing  that  many  people, 
besides  children  are  given  to  when  they  are  angry. 
Instead  of  giving  vent  to  their  feelings  in  oaths,  they 
slam  the  doors,  kick  the  chairs,  stamp  on  the  floor,  throw 
the  furniture  about,  and  make  all  the  noise  they  possi- 
bly can.  ‘ Isn’t  this  just  the  same  as  swearing  ?’  said 
she.  ‘It’s  just  the  same  kind  of  feeling,  exactly,  only 
they  do  not  like  to  say  those  awful  words  ; but  they 
force  the  furniture  to  make  the  noise,  and  so  I call  it 
wooden  swearing.’  I hope,  dear  children,  that  you  will 
not  do  any  of  this  kind  of  swearing  either.” 

It  is  better  to  let  alone  wooden  swearing, 'and  all 
other  kinds  of  swearing. 

A young  man  came  to  Poemen  greatly  distressed 
by  temptations  to  blasphemy.  “ Do  you  take  pleasure 


BLASPHEMY. 


417 


in  these  thoughts?”  asked  the  Abbott.  “I  hate  and  de- 
test them,”  answered  the  hermit.  “Be  of  good  ch?er,” 
said  Poemen  ; “ if  you  cast  them  out  without  giving 
them  consent,  they  cannot  hurt,  though  they  may  dis- 
tress you.” 

We  are  told  that  some  of  the  ruthless  ancients,  not 
very  justly  called  fathers,  struck  out  of  the  Bible  that 
passage,  “Jesus  Wept” — they  thinking,  as  appears  by 
the  testimony  of  Epiphanius,  that  his  weeping  was  a 
degradation  of  his  character. 

Take  care  how  you  treat  the  Bible,  the  altar,  the 
church.  Words  of  contempt  may  easily  rise  to  your 
lips,  but  they  mean  more  than  you  intend  them  to 
mean.  You  throw  a little  pebble  into  the  broad  lake; 
you  thought  it  would  go  straight  down  and  be  seen  no 
more.  So  far  you  may  be  right,  but  the  circles  are  on 
the  surface,  and  they  vibrate  and  widen  and  multiply 
and  make  the  whole  lake  throb,  and  who  can  tell  what 
may  come  out  of  contemptuous  criticism  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  ministry  ? Understand  that  the  blatant 
atheist  who  sells  his  atheism,  and  pronounces  its  first 
little  syllable  with  a vicious  emphasis,  does  not  always 
see  or  feel  at  the  moment  the  result  of  his  blasphemies. 

Profanity  and  refinement  are  necessarily  strangers 
to  each  other. 

To  say  that  we  have  a clear  conscience  is  to  utter 
a solecism  ; had  we  never  sinned  we  should  have  had 
no  conscience. 

The  spirit  of  blasphemy  is  open  to  the  contempt  of 
all  right  thinking  people.  The  puny  arm  that  raises 

itself  in  feeble  efforts  to  oppose  God  is  the  outward 
27 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


, T Q 

41  o 

sign  of  a weak  judgment  and  a vicious  heart.  None 
but  " weakling  will  make  such  a useless  trial  of 
strength. 

No  one  can  hide  from  the  judgment.  A century 
ago  an  infidel  German  countess  dying,  gave  orders 
that  her  grave  should  be  covered  with  a solid  slab  of 
granite;  that  around  should  be  placed  square  blocks 
of  stone,  and  that  the  whole  should  be  fastened  to- 
gether by  strong  iron  clamps.  On  the  stone,  by  her 
order,  these  words  were  cut:  “This  burial-place, 

purchased  to  all  eternity,  must  never  be  opened.” 
Thus  she  defied  the  Almighty.  But  a little  seed  was 
sprouted  under  the  cover,  and  the  tiny  shoot  found  its 
way  through  between  two  of  the  slabs,  and  grew  there, 
slowly  and  surely,  until  it  burst  the  clamps  asunder, 
and  lifted  the  immense  blocks. 


<s  J At  4 


Falsehood. 


Let  falsehood  be  a stranger  to  thy  lips ; 

Shame  on  the  policy  that  first  began 
To  tamper  with  the  heart  to  hide  its  thoughts ! 

And  doubly  shame  on  that  inglorious  tongue 

That  sold  its  honesty  and  told  a lie.  HAVARD. 

Some  men  seem  to  have  a constitutional  inability 
to  tell  the  simple  truth.  They  may  not  mean  to  lie,  or 
to  tell  an  untruth,  but  they  are  careless — careless  in 
hearing,  careless  in  understanding,  careless  in  repeat- 
ing what  is  said  to  them.  These  well-meaning  but 
reckless  people  do  more  mischief  than  those  who 


FALSEHOOD. 


419 


intentionally  foment  strife  by  deliberate  falsehood. 
There  is  no  fire-brand  like  your  well-meaning  busy- 
body, who  is  continually  in  search  of  scandal,  and  by 
sheer  habit  misquotes  everybody’s  statements. 

This  carelessness  is  a sin  of  no  small  magnitude. 
A man’s  duty  to  God  and  his  fellows  requires  him  to 
be  careful ; for  what  else  were  brains  and  common 
sense  given  him  ? Of  course  that  other  class,  the 
malignant  scandalmongers  who  take  a fiendish 
pleasure  in  promoting  strife,  who  deliberately  garble 
men’s  words  and  twist  their  sentiments,  is  in  the 
minority,  and  people  have  a very  decided  opinion 
regarding  them.  Most  men  misrepresent  because 
they  don’t  seem  to  think  that  care  in  speaking  the 
truth  is  a pre-eminent  duty. 

The  effects  of  this  careless  misrepresenting  of 
others  are  seen  everywhere.  Its  effect  on  the  individual 
is  to  confirm  him  in  a habit  of  loose,  distorted  and  ex- 
aggerated statement,  until  telling  the  truth  becomes  a 
moral  impossibility.  No  other  thing  causes  so  many 
long-standing  friendships  to  be  broken,  so  many  dis- 
sensions in  churches,  so  much  bitterness  in  communi- 
ties, and  so  much  evil  everywhere.  It  is  an  abuse  that 
calls  for  the  rebuke  of  every  honorable  man — a 
rebuke  that  should  be  given  not  only  in  words  when- 
ever occasion  demands,  but  by  example.  The  Persians 
were  said  to  teach  their  youth  three  things : to  ride,  to 
draw  the  bow,  and  to  speak  the  truth.  A little  more 
instruction  on  this  latter  head  would  do  no  harm  to 
our  “advanced  civilization.” 

It  is  a good  thing  to  be  stable-minded,  for  “a 


420 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


double-mindecl  man  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways.”  To 
be  of  one  opinion  at  one  time,  and  another  soon  after, 
and  to  be  continually  changing,  is  not  wise.  There 
are  times  when  it  is  wisdom  to  change  our  opinions ; 
when  we  are  convinced  that  we  are  wrong,  or  that 
there  is  a better  way,  it  would  be  unwise  to  hold  to 
them ; but  those  changeable-minded  persons,  who 
advocate  a thing  at  one  time  and  oppose  it  at  another 
— those  people  whose  mind  changes  so  often  that  you 
never  know  where  to  find  them  are  not  to  be  de- 
pended upon,  and  therefore  do  not  amount  to  much. 

How  little  there  is  in  the  world  of  a really  scrupu- 
lous reverence  for  truth,  one  may  see  but  too  many 
proofs  every  day.  Falsehood,  like  poison,  will  gener- 
ally be  rejected  when  administered  alone  ; but  when  it 
is  blended  with  wholesome  ingredients  may  be  swal- 
lowed unperceived. 

All  bad  work  is  lying.  It  is  thoroughly  dishonest. 
You  pay  for  having  a work  done  well;  it  is  done  badly 
and  dishonestly.  It  may  be  varnished  over  with  a fair 
show  of  sufficiency,  but  the  sin  is  not  discovered  until 
it  is  too  late.  So  long  as  these  things  continue,  it  is  in 
vain  to  talk  of  the  dignity  of  labor,  or  of  the  social 
value  of  the  so-called  working-man.  There  can  be  no- 
dignity  of  labor  where  there  is  no  truthfulness  of  work. 
Dignity  does  not  consist  in  hollowness  and  in  light- 
handedness,  but  in  substantiality  and  in  strength.  If 
there  be  flimsiness  and  superficiality  of  all  kinds 
apparent  in  thework  of  the  present  clay  more  than  in  the 
work  of  our  forefathers,  whence  comes  it?  It  is  from 
eagerness  and  competition,  and  the  haste  to  be  rich. 


FALSEHOOD. 


421 


There  is  a duplicity  of  life  which  is  quite  as  bad  as 
a verbal  falsehood.  Actions  have  as  plain  a voice  as 
words.  The  mean  man  is  false  to  his  profession.  He 
evades  the  truth  that  he  professes  to  believe.  He 
plays  at  double  dealing.  He  wants  sincerity  and 
veracity.  The  sincere  man  speaks  as  he  thinks, 
believes  as  he  pretends  to  believe,  acts  as  he  professes 
to  act,  and  performs  as  he  promises. 

Lying  is  one  of  the  most  common  and  conventional 
of  vices.  It  prevails  in  what  is  called  “ Society.”  Not 
at  home  is  the  fashionable  mode  of  reply  to  a visitor. 
Lying  is  supposed  to  be  so  necessary  to  carry  on 
human  affairs  that  it  is  tacitly  agreed  to.  One  lie  may 
be  considered  harmless,  another  slight,  another  unin- 
tended. Little  lies  are  common.  However  tolerated, 
lying  is  more  or  less  loathsome  to  every  pureminded 
man  or  woman.  “ Lies,”  says  Ruskin,  “ may  be  light 
and  accidental,  but  they  are  an  ugly  soot  from  the 
smoke  of  the  pit,  and  it  is  better  that  our  hearts  should 
be  swept  clean  of  them,  without  our  care  as  to  which 
is  largest  or  blackest.” 

“ Lying  abroad  for  the  benefit  of  one’s  country,” 
used  to  be  the  maxim  of  the  diplomatist.  Yet  a man 
should  care  more  for  his  word  than  for  his  life.  When 
Regulus  was  sent  by  the  Carthaginians,  whose  prisoner 
he  was,  to  Rome,  with  a convoy  of  ambassadors  to  sue 
for  peace,  it  was  under  the  condition  that  he  should 
return  to  his  prison  if  peace  were  not  effected.  He 
took  the  oath,  and  swore  that  he  would  come  back. 

When  he  appeared  at  Rome  he  urged  the  senators 
to  persevere  in  the  war,  and  not  to  agree  to  the 


422 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


exchange  of  prisoners.  That  involved  his  return  to 
captivity  at  Carthage.  The  senators,  and  even  the 
chief  priest,  held  that  as  his  oath  had  been  wrested 
from  him  by  force,  he  was  not  bound  to  go.  “ Have 
you  resolved  to  dishonor  me  ? ” asked  Regulus.  “ I 
am  not  ignorant  that  death  and  tortures  are  preparing 
for  me  ; but  what  are  these  to  the  shame  of  an  infa- 
mous action  or  the  wounds  of  a guilty  mind?  Slave  as 
I am  to  Carthage,  I have  still  the  spirit  of  a Roman. 
I have  sworn  to  return.  It  is  my  duty  to  go.  Let  the 
gods  take  care  of  the  rest.”  Regulus  returned  to 
Carthage,  and  died  under  torture. 

Speaking  of  the  prevalence  of  false  actions,  coupled 
with  pretended  repentance,  an  author  thus  speaks  of 
its  utter  falsehood : 

“ There  are  hoary-headed  rascals  who  have  never 
lost  their  power  to  express  their  feelings  through  their 
lachrymal  gland.  They  secrete  tears  with  as  much  facili- 
ty as  they  secrete  other  people’s  money.  Crying  is  as 
easy  as  lying.  One  of  the  most  incorrigibly  treacherous 
and  untruthful  men  I ever  heard  of  is  periodically 
overtaken  by  a penitential  boohoo.  The  worst  of 
men  have  the  best  of  feelings.” 

Beware  of  exaggeration,  watch  your  words,  and 
speak  just  the  truth.  Exaggeration  is  the  plantlet, 
falsehood  the  full-grown  tree.  Do  not  let  us  lie  at  all. 
Do  not  think  of  one  falsehood  as  harmless,  and  another 
as  slight,  and  another  as  unintended.  Cast  them  all 
aside.  It  is  more  from  carelessness  about  the  truth  than 
from  intentional  lying  that  there  is  so  much  falsehood  in 
the  world.  The  more  weakness,  the  more  falsehood ; 


FALSEHOOD. 


423 


strength  goes  straight.  Every  cannon  ball  that  has  in 
it  holes  or  hollows  goes  crooked.  Weaklings  must  lie. 

God  is  the  author  of  truth;  the  devil  is  the  father 
of  lies.  If  the  telling  of  a truth  shall  endanger  thy 
life,  the  Author  of  truth  will  protect  thee  from  the 
danger,  or  reward  thee  for  thy  damage.  If  the  telling 
of  a lie  will  secure  thy  life,  the  father  of  lies  will  beguile 
thee  of  thy  gains,  or  traduce  the  security.  Better  by 
losing  of  a life  to  save  it,  than  by  saving  of  a life  to 
lose  it.  However,  better  thou  perish  than  the  truth. 

Those  whose  minds  cannot  grasp  political  sagacity 
substitute  dissimulation  for  prudence.  He  who  prac- 
tices concealment  deprives  himself  of  a most  important 
instrument  of  action,  namely,  confidence. 

The  following  words  of  the  wise  man  may  be  read 
with  profit  in  this  connection  : “ The  words  of  his  mouth 
were  smoother  than  butter,  but  war  was  in  his  heart ; 
his  words  were  softer  than  oil,  yet  were  they  drawn 
swords.  These  six  things  doth  the  Lord  hate,  yea, 
seven  are  an  abomination  unto  him  : A proud  look,  a 
lying  tongue,  and  hands  that  shed  innocent  blood,  an 
heart  that  deviseth  wicked  imaginations,  feet  that  be 
swift  in  running  to  mischief,  a false  witness  that  speak- 
eth  lies,  and  him  that  soweth  discord  among  brethren. 
The  words  of  a tale-bearer  are  as  wounds,  and  they 
go  down  into  the  innermost  parts  of  the  belly.” 

Much  food  for  thought  is  found  in  the  following  re- 
flections upon  falsehood : 

Falsehood,  like  a drawing  in  perspective,  will  not 
bear  to  be  examined  in  every  point  of  view,  because  it 
is  a good  imitation  of  truth,  as  a perspective  is  of  the 


424 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


reality.  Falsehood  and  fraud  shoot  up  in  every  soil, 


of  man’s  nature  ; and  a mixture  of  falsehood  is  like 
alloy  in  gold  and  silver,  which  may  make  the  metal 
work  the  better,  but  it  embaseth  it.  A liar  would  be 
brave  toward  God,  while  he  is  a coward  toward  men  ; 
for  a lie  faces  God  and  shrinks  from  man.  No  false- 
hood can  endure  touch  of  celestial  temper  but  returns 
of  force  to  its  own  likeness.  Figures  themselves,  in 
their  symmetrical  and  inexorable  order,  have  their 
mistakes  like  words  and  speeches  : An  hour  of  pleas- 
ure and  an  hour  of  pain  are  alike,  only  on  the  dial,  in 
their  numerical  arrangement.  Outside  the  dial  they 
lie  sixty  times.  Somebody  tried  to  excuse  a liar  to 
Dr.  Johnson,  saying,  “You  must  not  believe  more 
than  half  what  he  says.”  “ Ay,”  replied  the  doctor, 
“but  which  half?” 


Nero  was  not  developed  in  a day.  When  the  first 
death-warrant  was  brought  to  him  to  sign  he  said  he 
wished  he  had  never  learned  to  write.  This  was  the 
speech  of  him  who  finally  so  grew  in  wickedness  and 
indifference  to  blood  and  crime  that  the  groans  and 
cries  of  the  Christians,  as  they  were  thrown  into  the 
dens  of  wild  beasts,  became  his  sweetest  music.  So 
with  Commodus,  that  rival  of  Caligula  and  Nero  in 
crime  and  cruelty.  So,  also,  Barere,  whom  Macaulay 
describes  as  one  of  the  most  ruthless  actors  in  the 


the  product  of  all  climes.  Round  dealing  is  the  honor 


CRUELTY. 


425 


French  Revolution,  as  one  who  had  been  a mild, 
generous,  humane  man  in  early  life,  but  who  in  time, 
when  he  had  once  tasted  blood,  came  to  like  it  so  well 
that  cruelty  became  with  him  a habit,  then  a passion, 
then  a madness. 

I always  distrust  a boy  who  is  wantonly  cruel  to 
animals.  They  know  well  when  they  are  unkindly 
treated,  and  soon  learn  to  distinguish  friends  from 
foes.  Birds  are  equally  sagacious.  From  one  of  the 
nests  in  our  orchard  one  egg  was  taken  to  help  make 
up  a boy’s  collection  in  natural  history.  The  mother 
king-bird  was  very  much  angered  when  her  remaining 
eggs  were  hatched.  A dozen  times  every  day,  or 
every  time  the  boy  came  near  the  house  or  her  tree, 
she  flew  down  and  picked  his  hat,  or  would  sweep 
dose  to  his  eyes,  so  that  we  were  indeed  afraid  that 
she  would  pick  them  out.  After  a while  she  left,  but 
soon  returned  to  hatch  another  brood,  and  again  her 
warfare  began  on  the  boy.  All  through  that  season 
she  never  forgot ; aud  what  seemed  strange  to  us,  al- 
though other  boys  of  the  same  size  and  age  came  to 
play  in  the  grounds,  she  always  knew  her  boy.  Birds, 
fishes,  even  frogs,  can  all  be  tamed  by  kindness.  He 
is  a pitiful  coward  who  injures  those  helpless  creatures. 

The  reckless  cruelty  with  which  many  people  cut 
and  slash  the  already  wounded  feelings  of  their  fellow 
creatures,  thereby  giving  them  their  death  stab,  is 
equal  to  the  French  surgeon  in  the  following  story: 

Sir  Astley  Cooper,  on  visiting  Paris,  was  asked  by 
the  surgeon-in-chief  of  the  empire  how  many  times  he 
had  performed  a certain  very  difficult  operation.  Sir 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


4,j6 

Astley  answered  that  he  had  performed  the  operation 
but  thirteen  times. 

“Ah,  but  monsieur,”  said  the  Frenchman,  “ I have 
done  him  one  hundred  and  sixty  times.” 

Sir  Astley  was  amazed.  The  curious  Frenchman, 
looking  at  the  Englishman’s  blank  face,  asked,  “And 
how  many  times  did  you  save  his  life  ? ” Very  modestly 
the  great  surgeon  answered,  “I  saved  eleven  out  of  the 
thirteen.” 

It  was  his  turn  to  question  : “ And  how  many  did 
you  save  out  of  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  times?” 

“Ah,  Monsieur,”  replied  the  Frenchman,  “I  lose 
dem  all,  but  de  operation  was  very  brilliant. 

The  place  where  we  least  expect  a cruel  action 
is  sometimes  the  one  where  it  is  surest  to  confront  us. 
Nor  is  it  necessary  to  be  intentional  on  the  actor’s 
part  Many  of  the  most  cruel  actions  are  the  result 
only  of  heedlessness ; or  a little  childish  vanity  to  dis- 
play one’s  wit;  or  the  pride  of  learning,  the  elation  of 
success,  or  the  awkward  endeavor  to  lend  a helping 
hand.  There  is  a place  for  everything,  and  everything 
to  its  place. 

There  was  a poor  woman  who  had  one  child,  the 
joy  of  her  heart,  the  one  ewe-lamb  of  her  household. 
She  worked  for  it  early  and  late.  But  there  came  a 
time  when  one  day  it  sickened.  She  watched  it  by 
day  and  carried  it  in  her  arms  by  night.  But  she 
could  not  keep  the  little  heart  beating  or  the  body 
warm ; so  it  was  taken  away  and  laid  in  the  cold 
ground.  She  felt  puzzled,  crushed.  It  was  a bright 
morning,  the  church-bells  were  ringing,  and  she 


CRUELTY. 


42  7 


thought,  “I  will  go  and  hear  what  the  preacher  has  to 
say.”  She  crept  in  after  the  service  had  commenced 
and  took  a retired  seat.  The  organ  was  playing  a 
soft,  low  tune:  the  hymn  was  soothing — some  of  our 
music  is  still  devotional.  The  clergyman  arose  and 
announced  his  text.  She  lifted  her  veil  and  raised  her 
eager,  trembling  face  towards  him.  Did  he  tell  her 
that  not  a sparrow  falleth  to  the  ground  without  our 
Father  in  heaven,  or  did  he  tell  how  that  heavenly 
Father  pitieth  his  children,  and  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son  for  our  sins  and  sorrows  ? No,  he  told  her  about 
Louis  Napoleon!  She  waited  till  the  congregation 
had  passed  out.  There  were  among  them  happy 
mothers,  leading  dear  little  children.  She  grasped  the 
gate-post  at  the  side  of  the  church  door  in  the  weak- 
ness of  despair  and  said,  There  is  no  God. 

Dog  won’t  eat  dog,  but  men  will  eat  each  other 
up  like  cannibals,  and  boast  of  it  too.  There  are 
thousands  in  this  world  who  fly  like  vultures  to  feed 
on  a tradesman  or  a merchant  as  soon  as  ever  he  gets 
into  trouble.  Where  the  carcass  is,  thither  will  the 
eagles  be  gathered  together.  Instead  of  a little  help, 
they  give  the  sinking  man  a great  deal  of  cruelty,  and 
cry,  “Serves  him  right.”  All  the  world  will  beat  the 
man  whom  fortune  buffets.  If  providence  smites  him, 
all  men’s  whips  begin  to  crack.  The  dog  is  drowning, 
and  therefore  all  his  friends  empty  their  buckets  over 
him.  The  tree  has  fallen,  and  everybody  runs  for  his 
hatchet.  The  house  is  on  fire,  and  all  the  neighbors 
warm  themselves.  The  man  has  ill  luck,  therefore  his 
friends  give  him  ill  usage  ; he  has  tumbled  into  the 


428 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTHS 


road,  and  they  drive  their  carts  over  him ; he  is  down, 
and  selfishness  cries,  “ Let  him  be  kept  down,  then 
there  will  be  the  more  room  for  those  who  are  up.” 

One  of  the  ill  effects  of  cruelty  is  that  it  makes  the 
bystanders  cruel.  How  hard  the  English  people 
grew  in  the  time  of  Henry  Eighth  and  Bloody  Mary. 
Cruelty,  like  every  other  vice,  requires  no  motive  out- 
side of  itself;  it  only  requires  opportunity. 

The  cruelty  done  to  children  by  some  parents,  as 
well  as  by  teachers,  is  indescribable.  Children  are 
held  to  be  of  the  same  mental  nature,  of  the  same 
temperament,  of  the  same  adaptability  to  learn,  as 
their  parents  and  teachers.  Yet  the  boy  who  cannot 
learn  his  lessons  as  quickly  as  another  is  thrashed,  or 
he  is  degraded  in  some  way.  Grown  people  forget 
the  intense  misery  to  which  children  are  thus  exposed. 
The  child’s  horizon  is  so  limited  that  he  sees  no 
remedy  to  his  woes,  and  his  sorrow  absorbs  his  whole 
little  being. 

What  an  enormous  amount  of  cruelty  is  perpe- 
trated upon  dumb  animals — upon  birds,  upon  beasts, 
upon  horses,  upon  all  that  lives.  The  Roman  gladia- 
tors have  passed  away,  but  the  Spanish  bull-fights  re- 
main. As  the  Roman  ladies  delighted  to  see  the 
gladiators  bleed  and  die  in  the  public  amphitheater,  so 
the  Spanish  ladies  clap  their  hands  in  exultation  at 
spectacles  from  which  English  warriors  sicken  and 
turn  away.  “It  must  be  owned,”  said  Cabellero,  “and 
we  own  it  with  sorrow,  that  in  Spain  there  is  very  little 
compassion  shown  to  animals  among  the  men  and 


CRUELTY. 


429 


women;  and  among  the  lower  classes  there  is  none  at 
all,” 

What  a history  of  cruel  actions  our  Anglo-Saxon 
race  has  made  for  itself.  The  furies  of  the  under 
world,  as  portrayed  by  savage  nations,  may  be  passed 
over  with  lightness  and  covered  from  sight  by  the 
mantle  of  charity;  but  the  fiendish  pursuits  of  the 
English-speaking  race,  possessing  a knowledge  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  and  owing  its  great  advancement  in 
civilization  to  his  spirit  and  teachings,  is  beyond  a 
thinking  man’s  comprehension. 

The  most  atrocious  crimes  have  been  perpetrated 
in  the  name  of  civilization,  and  the  very  principles  of 
the  Gospel  which  they  professed  to  carry  to  the 
heathen  lands  they  invaded,  have  all  been  sacrificed, 
and  the  sacred  banner  trailed  in  the  dust. 

The  blood  of  the  Hindoo  robed  in  his  garments  of 
caste,  clothed  with  self-righteousness  and  loaded  with 
his  religious  ceremonies,  though  he  be,  yet  cries  to 
heaven  for  vengeance.  Poor,  poverty-stricken,  famine- 
parched  and  opium-cursed  India,  thy  wrongs  are  more 
than  the  sands  of  the  seashore,  and  darker  than  the 
gloom  of  thy  jungles,  and  it  is  but  an  evidence  of  the 
sure  power  of  the  great  hand  that  never  grows 
palsied,  and  in  whose  hollow  we  are  all  safely  held, 
that  thine  oppressors  are  scourged  and  heart-sick 
even  in  their  victory. 

The  cry  to  heaven  from  the  friends  and  kinsmen  of 

four  millions  of  murdered  people  in  China,  cruelly 

slaughtered  that  the  lust  for  gain  of  the  English  and 

American  traders  might  be  satisfied  is  but  another  link 
«_> 


43° 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


in  the  chain  that  is  being  welded  by  the  ages;  and 
with  that  the  savage  attack  upon  a Christian  people  in 
South  Africa,  whose  only  crime  was  that  they  had 
valuable  lands  and  goods  that  the  Anglo-Saxon 
coveted. 

Time  would  fail  me  to  write  all  the  grievous  and 
cruel  horrors  of  the  English  race.  They  seem  mon- 
strous even  beside  those  set  to  the  account  of  the 
Spaniards  in  their  early  conquests  of  the  New  World. 

But  when  I pass  to  notice  our  own  fair  and  loved 
land,  and  think  of  the  stains  and  foul  blotches  upon 
our  own  fair  fame,  my  hand  is  stricken  with  palsy,  and 
my  heart  almost  ceases  to  beat.  My  face  blanches 
with  fear.  We  have  revelled  in  cruelty  and  we  have 
said  to  war,  thou  art  our  kinsman,  and  to  rapine  thou 
shalt  be  our  bedfellow.  We  have  made  the  blood  of 
human  beings  to  flow  as  a river,  and  the  vultures  of  the 
air  and  beasts  of  prey  have  fattened  in  our  track.  The 
red  men  have  faded  from  before  our  approach,  as  the 
light  fades  before  approaching  darkness,  and  our  con- 
tact with  them  has  produced  the  withering  curse  that 
is  felt  when  the  simoom  sweeps  the  deserts  of  Arabia. 

Says  an  Indian  chief,  “This  glorious  land,  running 
so  wild  with  rivers,  and  blooming  back  the  Great 
Spirit’s  smile  in  such  wealth  of  flowers,  once  belonged 
to  the  red  man,  and  of  most  of  it  he  has  been  shame- 
lessly robbed.  If  those  of  our  race  who  have  been 
slain  by  the  white  man,  should  spring  up  from  the  sod 
as  trees,  there  would  be  one  broad  moaning  forest 
from  the  great  river  to  the  sea.  Those  of  us  who 


REVENGE. 


431 


have  been  spared  are  sneered  at,  despised,  enslaved 
and  spit  upon  as  dogs.” 

Nor  does  our  crime  end  with  the  red  man.  We 
forced  the  Celestial  empire  to  open  her  doors  and 
allow  her  sons  to  come  to  our  shores,  after  the  cruel 
slaughter  of  more  than  four  millions  of  people,  and 
now  we  hound  the  poor  creatures  to  death,  and  fail  to 
afford  them  protection  from  the  cruel  rabble  of  a lazy 
and  profligate  class  who  come  to  us  from  another 
part  of  the  globe.  A patient,  educated,  honest  and 
industrious  people  are  allowed  to  fall  victims  to  a 
cruel,  lazy,  ignorant  and  vicious  pack  of  human  vam- 
pires, the  offscouring,  the  ragtag  and  the  dregs  of  the 
Old  World ! 

— — 

Revenge. 

“ Revenge  at  first,  though  sweet,  bitter  ere  long  back  on  itself  recoils.” 

The  spirit  of  revenge  is  the  most  demoralizing  and 
degrading  of  all  the  passions  to  which  the  human 
heart  is  subject.  That  man  who  allows  it  to  take  pos- 
session of  his  heart  and  control  his  actions  harbors  a 
monster  of  the  most  pitiless  and  tyrannical  nature.  It 
absorbs  all  the  greenness  of  his  soul,  it  embitters  his 
life  and  drowns  his  happiness.  His  heart  becomes 
the  seat  of  such  fierce  and  contending  emotions  that 
his  live  is  burned  out  like  a furnace,  and  his  soul  is 
blasted  as  a tropical  garden  after  the  simoom  has 
passed  over  it.  His  eyes  become  bloodshot,  his 
features  wear  a pinched  and  ferocious  aspect,  his  ears 


432 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


are  deaf  to  the  cries  of  mercy,  while  he  suffers  all  the 
pangs  of  a hell  upon  earth.  They  talk  about  revenge 
being  sweet,  but  the  common  experience  of  all  who 
have  glutted  themselves  at  this  feast  is,  that  it  is  a most 
fearful  bitter-sweet ! Ask  the  outlaw,  roaming  the 
mountain  wild,  startled  at  the  chirp  of  a bird  and  turn- 
ing pale  at  his  own  shadow,  if  it  is  sweet ! Ask  the  poor 
wretch  who  is  about  to  pay  the  penalty  for  gratifying 
this  passion  upon  the  gallows,  and  you  need  not  wait 
for  the  answer  before  deciding.  Ah,  no ! How  differ- 
ent from  that  One,  of  whom  it  is  said,  However 
much  he  was  persecuted  he  loved  his  persecutors  none 
the  less. 

If  a person  be  passionate,  and  give  you  ill  lan- 
guage, rather  pity  him  than  be  moved  to  anger.  You 
will  find  that  silence,  or  very  gentle  words,  are  the 
most  exquisite  revenge  for  reproaches  ; they  will  either 
cure  the  distemper  in  the  angry  man  and  make  him 
sorry  for  his  passion,  or  they  will  be  a severe  reproof 
and  punishment  to  him.  But,  at  any  rate,  they  will 
preserve  your  innocence,  give  you  the  deserved  repu- 
tation of  wisdom  and  moderation,  and  keep  up  the 
serenity  and  composure  of  your  mind.  Passion  and 
anger  make  a man  unfit  for  everything  that  becomes, 
him  as  a man  or  as  a Christian 

Job  said,  “Oh,  that  mine  adversary  had  written  a 
book  !”  It  seems  almost  impossible  that  human  nature 
had  in  that  day  degenerated  into  the  weakness  of 
writing  books  as  a matter  of  spite.  But  that  many 
books  are  to-day  produced  from  such  low  motives  is  a 
well-known  fact. 


REVENGE. 


433 


Revenge  is  a fever  in  our  own  blood,  to  be  cured 
only  by  letting  the  blood  of  another ; but  the  remedy 
too  often  produces  a relapse,  which  is  remorse — a ma- 
lady far  more  dreadful  than  the  first  disease,  because  it 
is  incurable.  A man  that  studieth  revenge  keepeth  his 
own  wounds  green,  which  otherwise  would  heal  and 
do  well.  Revenge  is  a debt,  in  the  paying  of  which 
the  greatest  knave  is  honest  and  sincere,  and,  so  far 
as  he  is  able,  punctual.  There  are  some  professed 
Christians  who  would  gladly  burn  their  enemies,  but 
yet  forgive  them  merely  because  it  is  heaping  coals  of 
fire  on  their  heads.  Diogenes  being  asked  by  what 
means  a man  might  revenge  himself  upon  his  enemies, 
replied,  “ By  becoming  himself  a good  and  an  honest 
man.” 

A Christian  told  Sisoes,  the  Theban,  of  his  inten- 
tion to  revenge  a wrong  done  him.  He  advised  him 
against  such  a course,  but  to  leave  vengeance  to  God. 
“I  will  not;  I cannot,”  said  the  man.  Then  they 
knelt  together  in  prayer,  and  Sisoes  prayed,  “ O God, 
take,  we  pray  thee,  no  more  concern  about  our  affairs  ; 
be  no  longer  our  protector;  we  are  going  henceforth 
to  manage  for  ourselves,  avenge  ourselves,  and  do  all 
the  rest  that  thou  hast  hitherto  done  for  us!”  The 
man  became  ashamed  of  himself,  and  abandoned  his 
intention.  Revenge  is  an  act  of  passion  ; vengeance, 
of  justice;  injuries  are  revenged,  crimes  are  avenged. 
The  best  sort  of  revenge  is  not  to  be  like  him  who  did 
the  injury.  Revenge  is  a cruel  word  ; manhood,  some 
call  it ; but  it  is  rather  doghood.  The  manlier  any 

man  is,  the  milder  and  more  merciful. 

28 


434 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


©he  Social  ©yi^a™. 

A correspondent  of  the  Baltimore  “ Sun,”  writing 
from  California,  says:  “A  cure  for  wife-whipping  was 
authorized  by  the  last  legislature  of  Nevada.  The 
authorities  of  Austin,  a mining  town  in  that  state,  have 
erected  a whipping-post  to  punish  summarily  wretches 
who  abuse  their  wives  by  blows.  We  wish  it  were  prac- 
tical to  apply  appropriate  correction  to  the  no  less  un- 
manly tyranny  of  unfeeling  exaction  and  cruel  words 
by  which  too  many  husbands  keep  their  wives  in  never- 
ending  torment.  If  man  had  the  brains  he  boasts,  he 
would  speak  ever  kindly  to  the  mother  of  his  house- 
hold, if  it  were  only  for  selfish  motives.” 

Make  your  wife  happy  by  tender  and  affectionate 
treatment,  and  you  will  make  your  home  a paradise 
more  precious  than  gold  and  costly  mansions.  We 
admire  the  Hindoo  parable  (and  believe  its  instruction) 
that  describes  a woman  at  the  gates  of  Heaven  pray- 
ing that  her  naughty  husband  might  be  admitted. 
“ He  was  ever  kind  and  true  to  me,  and  if  you  would 
make  me  happy,  I must  share  with  my  husband.” 
Instantly  the  portals  opened  and  the  angels  bid  him 
enter : “ Because  of  thy  wife’s  prayer  thy  sins  are  for- 
given. Who  live  in  harmony  on  earth,  in  Heaven  are 
not  divided.” 

In  a country  of  the  East  the  bride  and  the  bride- 
groom eat  a quince  together  to  sweeten  their  breath. 
What  a pity  that  all  brides  and  grooms  could  not  eat 


THE  SOCIAL  TYRANT. 


435 


some  sort  of  fruit  whose  fragrance  would  remain  to 
make  them  sweet-voiced  and  sweet-tempered  all  their 
lives.  What  a pity  that  all  the  newly-wedded  could 
not  remember  that  from  the  apples  of  discord  is 
expressed  the  vinegar  of  hate,  while  from  the  sweet- 
tempered  grapes  of  kindness  is  distilled  the  wine  of 
perpetual  bliss.  Look  at  that  man  who  has  just  shut 
his  gate  with  a bang,  and  is  scraping  his  feet  at  the 
door.  What  a pity  he  could  not  scrape  his  heart,  too, 
before  he  opens  the  door.  There  is  as  much  dirt  and 
defilement  on  his  heart  as  on  his  boots,  and  the  effects 
will  be  far  more  serious. 

The  selfish,  sordid,  cross,  ill-tempered,  pitiful  little 
soul.  His  devoted  wife  dare  not  ask  him  for  a dollar. 
She  would  rather  have  a tooth  pulled  any  time.  He  is 
always  grumbling.  He  is  a chronic  growler.  He 
thinks  the  world  was  made  for  him,  and  wonders  it 
was  not  made  bigger  on  his  account.  He  is  like  an 
old  he-bear  that  goes  snarling  after  the  mother-bear, 
and  if  she  chance  to  drop  the  little  cub  that  she  is  tug- 
ging along  in  her  mouth,  he  gives  the  toiling  creature 
a grim  and  ugly  bite. 

I saw  just  such  an  old  bruin  near  Salt  Lake  once. 
A husband  and  wife  emerged  from  the  car.  She  was 
loaded  down  with  the  baggage  and  his  overcoat,  and 
he  was  bustling  along,  hurrying  her  up,  lest  she  fail  to 
catch  the  train.  I wanted  to  interview  that  man  for 
about  two  minutes. 

There  is  in  the  countries  of  the  East  a species  of 
black  ant  that  suddenly  attack  articles  of  furniture. 
The  work  is  insidious  and  unseen.  Externally  all 


436 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


seems  right,  until  suddenly  the  whole  thing  collapses 
in  a cloud  of  dust.  So  it  is  where  discord  and  harsh- 
ness exist  in  domestic  life.  It  will  eat  out  the  very 
life  of  home.  Heaven  is  transformed  into  hell.  The 
angelhood  of  earth  is  exchanged  for  demoniacal  sor- 
row and  sin.  It  always  takes  an  angel  to  make  a 
devil.  That  which  is  most  beautiful  is  made  most 
hideous  by  unworthy  transition. 

If  women’s  devotedness  to  men  in  any  relation  of 
life  teaches  the  latter  to  be  selfish,  lazy,  exacting,  im- 
perious, the  act  is  not  a merit  but  a sin,  and  causes 
their  beloved  ones  to  sin.  Therefore,  if  a mother  by 
overweening  indulgence  helps  her  son  to  become  a 
thoughtless  scapegrace;  if  a wife  by  cowardly  sub- 
serviency converts  her  husband  into  a selfish  brute; 
even  if  a daughter — sets  up  a weak,  luxurious,  un- 
principled father  as  the  idol  of  her  life,  and  expects 
everybody  to  bow  down  and  worship  him — all  these 
foolish  women  have  condoned  sin,  and  called  vice 
virtue;  have  left  the  truth,  and  believed,  or  pretended 
to  believe,  a lie. 

If  a man  is  selfish  and  self-willed,  intolerant  and 
unsympathizing;  if  he  has  no  respect  for  the  judgment 
of  other  men,  and  no  disposition  to  sacrifice  his  own 
convenience  and  inclination  to  theirs;  if  he  is  ostenta- 
tious and  fussy  in  his  very  kindness  and  self-abnega- 
tion; he  ought  not  to  wonder  that  he  provokes  im- 
patience and  irritation. 

I have  spoken  of  tyranny;  there  is  nothing  so 
absolute  as  the  tyranny  of  weakness.  Sometimes  a 
really  good  man  will  suffer  himself  to  be  so  victimized 


THE  SOCIAL  TYRANT. 


437 


by  a nervous,  silly,  selfish  wife,  that  he  dare  not  call 
his  soul  his  own.  By  a thousand  underhand  ways, 
she  succeeds  in  alienating  him  from  his  own  family — 
breaking  his  natural  ties,  hindering  his  most  sacred 
duties;  putting  a stop  to  his  honest  work  in  the  world 
— his  rightful  influence  therein,  and  all  the  pleasures 
that  belong  thereto.  And  these  being,  to  a man,  so 
much  wider  than  any  woman’s,  the  loss  is  the  greater, 
the  pain  the  sharper. 

One  can  imagine  a large-minded,  honorably  ambi- 
tious man  actually  writhing  under  the  sacrifices  forced 
from  him  by  a wife  feeble  in  every  way — who  destroys 
not  merely  his  happiness,  but  his  good  reputation. 
Since,  when  it  is  seen  that  her  merest  whims  are  held 
by  him  of  paramount  importance — that  her  silly,  selfish 
yes  or  no  is  to  decide  every  action  of  his  life,  do  not 
his  friends  laugh  at  him  behind  his  back,  even  though 
before  his  face  they  may  keep  up  a decorous  gravity? 
“Poor  fellow!  with  such  a goose  for  his  wife!”  Yet 
the  pity  is  akin  to  contempt ; and  something  more  than 
contempt  is  felt — especially  by  his  mother,  sisters,  or 
critical  female  friends — towards  that  wife  who  exacts 
from  him  the  renunciation  of  all  his  duties,  except 
those  towards  herself ; in  plain  English,  “ makes  a fool 
of  him,”  because  in  his  devotion  he  has  offered  every- 
thing to  her,  and  she  has  meanly  accepted  the  sacri- 
fice. 

He  ought  never  to  have  made  it.  He  ought  to 
have  given  her  care,  tenderness,  affection — all  that 
man  should  give  to  woman,  and  strength  to  weakness; 
but  there  it  should  have  ended.  No  wife  has  a right 


438 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


to  claim  the  husband’s  whole  life,  its  honorable  toil,  its 
lawful  enjoyments.  If  she  cannot  share,  she  should 
learn  at  least  not  to  stand  in  the  way  of  either.  And 
the  man  who  submits  to  be  so  tyrannized  over,  as 
weak  women  in  their  small  way  can  tyrannize,  with 
that  “ continual  dropping  that  weareth  away  the  stone,” 
deserves  all  he  gets ; his  friends’  covert  smiles,  his 
enemies’  unconcealed  sneer. 

The  father  of  Frederick  the  Great,  King  of  Prus- 
sia, was  such  a tyrannical  man  towards  his  children,, 
that  at  one  time  he  flew  into  a rage,  beat  his  son  Fred- 
erick with  his  cane,  because  he  persisted  in  playing  upon 
his  flute  against  the  orders  of  his  father.  On  another 
occasion,  the  king,  in  a great  rage,  threw  heavy  earthen 
plates  at  the  heads  of  his  son  and  daughter  while  they 
sat  at  dinner,  and  their  lives  were  saved  only  by  their 
dexterity,  gained  by  long  practice  in  similar  encoun- 
ters, in  dodging  the  missiles.  On  another  occasion, 
after  months  of  the  vilest  persecution  and  degradation 
of  both  son  and  daughter,  the  king  threw  the  latter 
into  prison,  and  gave  out  his  intention  of  putting  to 
death  her  brother. 

Miss  Mulock  speaks  of  the  evil  effects  of  the  tyran- 
nical actions  of  father  and  sons,  as  follows  : “ These 

girls,  accustomed  to  be  considered  inferior  animals, 
who  must  get  their  own  way  by  stratagem,  grow  up 
into  those  designing  young  ladies  who  owe  their  power 
over  men  to  first  flattering  and  then  deceiving  them. 

“ But  what  a future  for  the  new  generation  ! How 
many  unhappy  girls  have  paid  dearly  for  the  early 
upbringing  of  their  young  husbands,  who,  the  first 


THE  SOCIAL  TYRANT. 


439 


glamour  of  love  passed,  treat  their  wives  as  they  were 
allowed  to  treat  their  sisters,  and  as  they  saw  their 
lathers  treat  their  mothers,  carelessly,  disrespectfully, 
with  a total  want  of  that  considerate  tenderness  which 
is  worth  all  the  passionate  love  in  the  world.  This — 
though  they  may  pass  muster  outside  as  excellent  hus- 
bands, never  doing  anything  really  bad,  and  possess- 
ing many  good  and  attractive  qualities,  yet  contriving 
somehow  quietly  to  break  the  poor  womanly  heart,  or 
harden  it  into  that  passive  acceptance  of  pain  which  is 
more  fatal  to  married  happiness  than  even  temporary 
estrangement.  Anger  itself  is  a safer  thing  than 
stolid,  hopeless  indifference.” 

The  waste  of  time,  the  waste  of  strength,  and  the 
waste  of  health  which  women  accept  on  account  of 
fashion  is  appalling.  The  shoes  of  women  have  pegs 
for  heels  half-way  under  the  foot,  on  which  they  walk 
with  a tottering,  hobbling  gait,  like  Chinese  women. 
Gaudy  jewelry,  gewgaws  and  trinkets,  in  the  way,  vul- 
gar, unladylike,  are  worn  upon  the  street  and  at 
church  ; bangs,  deforming  the  features  and  reproducing 
the  ape-like  expression  the  Darwinian  attributes  to  our 
ancestors ; powder  for  the  face,  hot  irons  for  the  hair, 
cosmetics  for  the  skin  — all  alike  are  wicked  and 
silly,  nay  absurd  and  repulsive  to  all  sensible  men. 
Frills,  fringes,  cords,  straps,  buttons,  pull-backs  and 
flounces,  supposed  to  be  ornamental,  but  which  have 
no  other  use,  burden  and  deform  even  our  young  girls. 
If  the  rising  generation  is  to  be  healthy,  there  must  be 
a return  to  simpler  as  well  as  more  becoming  styles. 
We  need  artists  who  can  devise  simple  and  beautiful 


440 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH, 


dresses  which  shall  secure  to  the  wearer  the  free  and 
untrammeled  use  of  the  whole  body. 

Our  home  joys  are  the  most  delightful  earth  affords. 
And  the  joy  of  parents  in  their  children  is  the  most 
holy  joy  of  humanity.  It  makes  their  hearts  pure  and 
good ; it  lifts  men  up  to  their  Father  in  heaven.  But 
what  must  be  the  despair  and  torment  of  that  father 
or  mother  whose  selfish  lives  have  only  resulted  in 
estranging  the  hearts  of  their  children  from  home,  from 
relatives  and  from  God, — whose  boast,  perhaps,  is 
that  they  can  make  warm  friends  and  enjoy  the 
approval  of  their  associates  everywhere  else  but  at 
home.  Their  hearts  grow  cold  towards  those  whom 
the  ties  of  nature  would  bind  most  closely  to  them. 
Their  parents,  though  doting  and  idolizing  them,  yet 
by  their  tyrannical  manner  have  driven  them  from  the 
sacred  limits  of  a home,  that  to  their  young  minds  is 
the  darkest  place  upon  earth. 

What  a unique  and  meaning  expression  was  that  of 
an  Irish  girl  in  giving  testimony  against  an  individual 
in  a court  of  justice  the  other  day.  “ Arrah,  sir,”  said 
she,  “I’m  sure  he  never  made  his  mother  smile.” 
There  is  a biography  of  unkindness  in  that  short  and 
simple  sentence.  Says  a lady  writer  : 

“ I object  on  purely  selfish  grounds  to  accepting 
invitations  from  friends  to  visit  them  in  their  homes 
for  any  length  of  time.  In  the  long  run  I pay  pretty 
dearly  for  their  hospitality — that  is,  in  most  cases. 
Though  when  at  home  I hire  my  dressmaking  done 
and  have  a maid  to  wash  the  dishes,  I have  been  in  a 


THE  SOCIAL  TYRANT. 


44I 


manner  compelled  to  do  much  of  this  kind  of  work  in 
the  houses  of  my  friends.  Not  that  I am  unwilling  to 
make  myself  agreeable  and  useful  to  those  I visit,  but 
the  consciousness  of  being  imposed  upon  impairs  my 
self-respect. 

“ Not  long  since  I visited  by  special  request  a family 
in  which  one  of  its  members  was  at  the  point  of  death, 
that  I might  aid  in  performing  the  last  sad  offices,  and 
though  there  was  abundance  of  help  in  the  house,  I 
was  left  to  do  the  dish-washing.  The  water  was  hard 
and  the  rest  didn’t  care  to  have  chapped  hands  in  cold 
weather. 

“Again,  I have  visited  at  houses  where,  although  I 
was  little  better  than  an  invalid,  my  services  were  so 
constantly  demanded,  either  by  hint  or  outspoken 
requests,  that  I really  worked  harder  than  I was  accus- 
tomed to  do  at  home,  and  when  my  visit  was  ended,  I 
went  home  too  tired  and  ill  to  do  anything  but  keep 
as  still  as  possible. 

“In  the  majority  of  cases  it  is  almost  impossible  for 
a guest  to  refuse  a request  made  by  her  hostess,  a 
request  that  is  courteous  in  form  if  not  in  spirit.  It  is 
hard  for  her  not  to  feel  that  she  must  do  what  she 
seems  expected  to  do,  even  when  the  action  involves 
a greater  personal  sacrifice  than  it  is  just  to  herself  to 
make.  And  so  it  seems  to  me  that  we  ought  to  use 
some  care  in  regard  to  what  we  ask  of  our  guests.  If 
we  cannot  dispense  with  their  services  when  they  are 
with  us,  why  ask  them  at  all  ? Why  decoy  them  from 
home  comfort  and  ease  to  share  our  burdens  ? No 


442 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


hostess  has  any  right  to  make  a waiting-maid  of  her 
guest.  This  is  a side  of  the  question  which  is  too  sel- 
dom considered.” 


I^egi(less  ors  Fearless. 

Every  one  who  heedlessly  or  unnecessarily,  for 
bravado  or  through  thoughtlessness,  or  even  from  mis- 
taken pious  zeal,  goes  in  the  way  of  infection,  or  helps 
in  the  spread  of  it,  commits  a crime  against  society, 
which  society  cannot  too  strongly  protect  itself  from. 

When  I see  rabid  religionists  carrying  handfuls  of 
tracts  into  reeking,  typhus-doomed  cottages,  where 
they  ought  first  to  have  carried  food  and  clothes,  or, 
better  still,  have  leveled  them  with  the  ground  and 
built  up  in  their  stead  wholesome  dwellings;  when  I 
hear  clergymen  with  young  families,  and  going  daily 
into  other  families  and  schools,  protest  that  it  is  “ their 
duty”  to  enter  infected  houses  in  order  to  administer 
spiritual  consolation  to  people  dying  of  small-pox  or 
scarlet-fever,  I look  upon  them  much  as  I would  upon 
a man  who  thought  it  “ his  duty  ” to  carry  a lighted 
candle  into  a powder-house. 

Nothing  may  happen;  but  if  anything  does  happen, 
what  of  him  who  caused  the  disaster  by  his  fatal  folly 
— misnamed  faith  ? As  if  “ salvation  ” did  not  mean 
a saving  from  sin  rather  than  from  punishment;  and, 
therefore,  though  men’s  souls  may  be  in  our  hands 
during  life,  they  must  be  left  solely  in  God’s  when 


RECKLESS  OR  FEARLESS. 


443 


death  comes — and  after.  These  so-called  religious 
persons  are  apparently  much  more  bent  upon  doing 
their  own  will  in  their  own  way  than  the  Master’s  in 
his  way.  For  the  will  of  God,  so  far  as  we  can  trace 
it  through  his  manifestation  of  himself  in  his  Son, 
seems  to  be  the  prevention  and  cure  of  not  only  moral 
but  physical  evil  by  every  possible  means,  prior  to 
its  total  extinction. 

Speaking  of  the  insane  motives  that  prompt  action 
in  many  cases,  Miss  Mulock  says : 

“Young  men  will  go  their  own  way  ; sow  their  wild 
oats — and  reap  them.  I do  not  speak  of  extreme 
. cases  of  reckless  dissipation,  upon  which  retribution 
follows  only  too  swift  and  sure,  but  of  small  dissipa- 
tions, petty  sins.  A young  fellow  will  dance  till  four 
in  the  morning  several  times  a week,  when  he  knows 
that  every  day  in  the  week  he  must  be  at  his  office  at 
nine,  and  is,  being  an  honest  fellow  who  wishes  to  get 
on  in  the  world.  But  he  does  not  consider  how  much 
he  takes  out  of  himself  in  life  and  health  and  strength, 
and  sometimes  out  of  his  master’s  pocket  too;  for, 
with  the  best  intentions,  he  cannot  possibly  do  his 
work  as  well  as  it  ought  to  be  done.  But  he,  too,  does 
what  he  likes  best  to  do,  and  deludes  himself  that  it  is 
the  best ; and  all  the  arguments  in  the  world  will 
never  convince  him  to  the  contrary. 

“No  more  will  they  convince  those  other  sinners — 
whose  sin  looks  so  like  virtue — the  clever  men  who 
kill  themselves  with  overstudy  ; the  ambitious  men  who 
sacrifice  everything  to  the  mad  desire  of  getting  on  in 


444 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  world;  of  being — not  better  or  wiser  or  greater — 
but  merely  richer  than  their  neighbors.” 

True  bravery  is  shown  by  performing  without 
witnesses,  what  one  might  be  capable  of  doing  before 
all  the  world.  This  line  of  action  is  characteristic  of  the 
truly  fearless  man.  Alas  ! that  so  much  merely  reck- 
less action  should  be  characterized  as  fearless.  It  is 
not  fearlessness  at  all.  It  is  rank  cowardice — cow- 
ardice at  the  opinion  of  the  public.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  man  who  does  not  care  for  others,  who  does 
not  sympathize  with  and  help  others,  is  very  often 
pursued  with  a just  retribution.  He  dosen’t  care  for 
the  foul  pestilential  air  breathed  by  the  inhabitants  of 
houses  a few  streets  off ; but  the  fever  which  has  been 
bred  there  floats  into  his  house  and  snatches  away 
those  who  are  dearest  to  him. 

Most  men  live  blindly  to  repeat  a routine  of 
drudgery  and  indulgence,  without  any  deliberately 
chosen  and  maintained  aims.  Few  live  distinctly  to 
develop  the  value  of  their  being;  know  the  truth  ; love 
their  fellows ; enjoy  the  beauty  of  the  world,  and 
aspire  to  God. 

When  a man  grows  desperate  for  pleasure,  that 
which  ordinarily  would  be  a weak  temptation  becomes 
to  him  very  strong.  In  Esau,  appetite  was  stronger 
than  duty  or  honor.  He  thought  lightly  of  his  place 
in  the  family,  and  was  in  little  real  sympathy  with  his 
people ; and  thus  he  did  what  was  not  really  of  a 
moment,  but  of  a habit  of  mind  and  a state  of  heart 
he  had  been  cherishing  for  years.  Men  come  by  dif- 
ferent and  gradual  stages  to  commit  great  crimes. 


RECKLESS  OR  FEARLESS. 


445 


Small  sins  open  the  way  for  the  greater  that  are  to 
follow.  Let  sin  be  resisted  at  the  threshold,  and  thus 
the  way  is  blocked  up  against  the  commission  of  great 
sins  afterwards. 

Goldsmith  mentions  an  old  lady,  who,  having  been 
given  over  by  her  physician,  played  with  the  curate  of 
the  parish  to  pass  the  time  away.  Having  won  all  his 
money,  she  next  proposed  playing  for  the  funeral 
charges  to  which  she  would  be  liable.  Unfortunately, 
the  lady  expired  just  as  she  had  taken  up  the  game! 

Of  all  the  instances  that  can  be  given  of  reckless- 
ness of  life,  there  is  none  that  comes  near  that  of  the 
workmen  employed  in  what  is  called  dry  pointing ; 
the  grinding  of  needles  and  of  table-forks.  The  fine 
steel  dust  which  they  breathe  brings  on  a painful  disease 
of  which  they  are  almost  sure  to  die  before  forty. 
And  yet  not  only  are  men  tempted  by  high  wages  to 
engage  in  this  employment,  but  they  resist  to  the 
utmost  all  the  contrivances  devised  for  diminishing  the 
danger ; through  fear  that  this  would  cause  more 
workmen  to  offer  themselves,  and  thus  lower  wages ! 
The  thing  would  appear  incredible  if  it  were  not  so 
fully  attested.  All  this  proves  that  reckless  avarice 
overcomes  the  fear  of  death.  And  so  may  vanity ; 
witness  the  many  women  who  wear  tight  dresses,  and 
will  even  employ  washes  for  the  complexion  which 
they  know  to  be  highly  dangerous  and  even  destruc- 
tive to  their  health. 

The  number  of  imprudent  persons  who  have  been 
killed  since  the  Franco-Prussian  war  in  trying  to  empty 
the  German  shells  that  have  been  found  unexploded 


446 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


in  the  fields  round  Paris,  is  extraordinary.  At  St. 
Denis,  the  past  autumn,  an  old  man  of  sixty-eight,  who 
had  a collection  of  German  shells,  was  trying  to  empty 
another,  when  it  exploded  and  blew  him  and  his  shop 
to  pieces.  The  remnants  of  his  body  were  found  scat- 
tered in  all  directions.  A similar  accident  is  also  re- 
ported from  the  arsenal  of  Belfort,  where  one  artillery- 
man was  killed  and  five  wounded.  Just  so  is  it  with 
those  who  needlessly  take  up  what  Paul  calls  “doctrines 
of  devils,”  those  destructive  forms  of  atheistic  unbelief 
that  shatter  our  faith  both  in  God  and  in  humanity, 
which  ruins  both  individuals  and  society.  Keep  off 
the  devil’s  territory,  and  do  not  pervert  the  advice, 
“Prove  all  things,”  to  encourage  an  inquisitive  study 
of  infidel  books. 

Anger,  of  such  a quality  as  the  Bible  calls  righ- 
teous, may  make  one  fearless,  without  being  reckless. 
Luther  says,  “ I never  work  better  than  when  I am 
inspired  by  anger;  when  I am  angry  I can  write,  pray 
and  preach  well ; for  then  my  whole  temperament  is 
quickened,  my  understanding  sharpened,  and  all  mun- 
dane vexations  and  temptations  depart.” 

I once  heard  this  anecdote  of  Judge  Parsons,  the 
great  Massachusetts  advocate  and  lawyer.  It  is  said 
that  being  about  to  try  a mercantile  case,  he  ordered 
a jury  to  be  summoned,  and  among  the  names  was 
that  of  Col.  Thomas  H.  Perkins,  the  leading  merchant 
of  Boston  in  that  day,  and  a personal  friend  of  Judge 
Parsons.  When  the  officer  made  his  return,  he  laid 
down  a fifty-dollar  bill  before  the  Judge. 

“ What  is  that?  ” said  Parsons. 


RECKLESS  OR  FEARLESS. 


447 


“ Col.  Perkins  says  he  is  very  busy  indeed  to-day, 
and  prefers  to  pay  his  fine.” 

“Take  that  back  to  Col.  Perkins,”  said  the  Judge, 
“and  tell  him  to  come  here  at  once;  and  if  he  refuses, 
bring  him  by  force.” 

When  Col.  Perkins  appeared,  the  Judge  looked 
sternly  at  him,  and  said,  “ What  do  you  mean,  sir,  by 
sending  money  when  you  were  summoned  to  sit  on  this 
jury  ? ” 

Col.  Perkins  replied ; “ I meant  no  disrespect  to 
the  Court,  your  Honor;  but  I was  extremely  busy 
fitting  out  a ship  for  the  East  Indies,  and  I thought  if  I 
paid  my  fine  I might  be  excused. 

“Fitting  out  a ship  for  the  East  Indies,  sir!” 
shouted  the  Judge  ; “and  how  happens  it  that  you  are 
able  to  fit  out  a ship  for  the  East  Indies  ? ” 

“Your  Honor,  I do  not  understand  you.” 

“I  repeat,  then,  my  question:  How  is  it  that  you 

are  able  to  fit  out  a ship  for  the  East  Indies?  If  you  do 
not  know,  I will  tell  you.  It  is  because  the  laws  of 
your  country  are  properly  administered.  If  they  were 
not,  you  would  have  no  ships.  Take  your  seat,  sir, 
with  the  jury.” 

The  career  of  a missionary  is  the  most  dutiful  and 
heroic  of  all.  He  carries  his  life  in  his  hand.  He 
braves  danger  and  death.  He  lives  among  savages, 
sometimes  among  cannibals.  Money  could  not  buy 
the  devotion  with  which  he  encounters  peril  and  misery. 
He  is  only  upheld  by  the  mission  of  mercy  with  which 
he  is  charged.  What  are  called  “advanced  thinkers  ” 
have  nothing  to  offer  ns  for  th^  self-imposed  work  of 


448 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


missionaries  at  home  and  abroad.  Mere  negation 
teaches  nothing.  It  may  pull  down,  but  it  cannot  build 
up.  It  may  shake  the  pillars  of  our  faith  and  leave 
nothing  to  hold  by,  nothing  to  sanctify,  to  elevate,  or 
to  strengthen  our  natures. 

- — 

The  feast  of  vultures,  and  the  waste  of  life. 

That  fearful  scourge  of  God, — cruel,  relentless  war. 
Only  the  wicked  or  the  ignorant  can  wish  for  war. 
Those  whose  hearts  are  steeled  to  human  woe  may 
welcome  war  as  the  means  of  their  aggrandizement ; 
and  those  who  do  not  know  what  war  is — who  have 
never  seen  battle-fields,  or  hospitals,  or  besieged  and 
destroyed  cities — who  have  never  helped  to  bury  noble 
friends  in  shallow  ditches  right  where  they  died — who 
never  followed  the  wake  of  a desolating  army — who 
have  never  known  the  poverty  and  the  hunger,  the 
widowhood  and  orphanage,  the  madness  and  the  sin 
of  war  ; these  may  talk  glibly  of  military  glory,  but  the 
good  man,  who  is  wise,  hates  war  and  prays  evermore 
for  peace. 

Wherever  there  is  war,  there  must  be  injustice  on 
one  side  or  the  other,  or  on  both.  There  have  been 
wars  which  were  little  more  than  trials  of  strength  be- 
tween friendly  nations,  and  in  which  the  injustice  was 
not  to  each  other,  but  to  the  God  who  gave  them  life. 
But  in  a malignant  war  there  is  injustice  of  ignobler 


WAR. 


449 


kind  at  once  to  God  and  man,  which  must  be  stemmed 
for  both  their  sakes. 

War  is  the  matter  which  fills  all  history,  and  con- 
sequently the  only,  or  almost  the  only,  view  in  which  we 
can  see  the  external  of  political  society  is  in  a hostile 
shape ; and  the  only  actions  on  which  we  have  always 
seen,  and  still  see  all  of  them  intent,  are  such  as  tend 
to  the  destruction  of  one  another.  As  long  as  man- 
kind shall  continue  to  bestow  more  liberal  applause  on 
their  destroyers  than  on  their  benefactors,  the  thirst  of 
military  glory  will  ever  be  the  vice  of  the  most  ex- 
alted characters. 

The  first  great  obstacle  to  the  extinction  of  war,  is 
the  way  in  which  the  heart  of  man  is  carried  off  from 
its  barbarities  and  its  horrors  by  the  splendor  of  its 
deceitful  accompaniments.  There  is  a feeling  of  the 
sublime  in  contemplating  the  shock  of  armies,  just  as 
there  is  in  contemplating  the  devouring  energy  of  a 
tempest ; and  this  so  elevates  and  engrosses  the  whole 
man,  that  his  eye  is  blind  to  the  tears  of  bereaved 
parents,  and  his  ear  is  deaf  to  the  piteous  moan  of  the 
dying,  and  the  shriek  of  their  desolated  families. 

In  war,  people  judge  for  the  most  part  by  the  suc- 
cess, whatever  is  the  opinion  of  the  wiser  sort.  Let  a 
man  show  all  the  good  conduct  that  is  possible;  if  the 
event  does  not  answer,  ill  fortune  passes  for  a fault 
and  is  justified  but  by  a very  few  persons. 

The  following  thoughts  are  culled  from  many 
sources : Civil  wars  leave  nothing  but  tombs.  Anarchy 
and  confusion,  poverty  and  distress  follow  a civil  war. 

Take  my  word  for  it,  if  you  had  seen  but  one  day  of 
29 


450 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


war,  you  would  pray  to  Almighty  God  that  you  might 
never  see  such  a thing  again.  The  fate  of  war  is  to  be 
exalted  in  the  morning,  and  low  enough  at  night ! 
There  is  but  one  step  from  triumph  to  ruin.  The  fate 
of  a battle  is  the  result  of  a moment,  of  a thought;  the 
hostile  forces  advance  with  various  combinations,  they 
attack  each  other  and  fight  for  a certain  time  ; the 
critical  moment  arrives,  a mental  flash  decides,  and  the 
least  reserve  accomplishes  the  object. 

Woe  to  the  man  that  first  did  teach  the  cursed 
steel  to  bite  in  his  own  flesh,  and  make  way  to  the  liv- 
ing spirit.  Providence  for  war  is  the  best  prevention 
of  it. 

The  bodies  of  men,  munition  and  money  may  justly 
be  called  the  sinews  of  war. 

Among  uncivilized  nations  only  one  profession  is 
honorable — that  of  arms.  I abhor  bloodshed,  and 
every  species  of  terror  erected  into  a system  as  reme- 
dies equally  ferocious,  unjust  and  inefficacious  against 
evils  that  can  only  be  cured  by  the  diffusion  of  liberal 
ideas. 

Nobody  sees  a battle.  The  common  soldier  fires 
away,  amid  a smoky  mist,  or  hurries  on  to  the  charge 
in  a crowd  which  hides  everything  from  him.  The 
officer  is  too  anxious  about  the  performance  of  what 
he  is  specially  charged  with  to  mind  what  others  are 
doing.  The  commander  cannot  be  present  every- 
where, and  see  every  wood,  water-course  or  ravine  in 
which  his  orders  are  carried  into  execution  ; he  learns 
from  reports  how  the  work  goes  on.  It  is  well ; for  a 
battle  is  one  of  those  jobs  which  men  do  without 


DUELLING. 


451 


daring-  to  look  upon.  Over  miles  of  country,  at  every 
field  fence,  in  every  gorge  of  a valley  or  entry  into 
a wood  there  is  murder  committing,  wholesale,  contin- 
uous, reciprocal  murder.  The  human  form,  God’s 
image,  is  mutilated,  deformed,  lacerated  in  every  pos- 
sible way,  and  with  every  variety  of  torture.  The 
wounded  are  jolted  off  in  carts  to  the  rear,  their  bared 
nerves  crushed  into  maddening  pain  at  every  stone  or 
rut ; or  the  flight  and  pursuit  trample  over  them, 
leaving  them  to  writhe  and  groan,  without  assistance, 
and  fever  and  thirst,  the  most  enduring  of  painful  sen- 
sations, possess  them  entirely. 

Take  heed 

How  you  wake  our  sleeping  sword  of  war ; 

We  charge  you  in  the  name  of  God,  take  heed. 

For  never  two  such  kingdoms  did  contend 
Without  much  fall  of  blood  ; whose  guiltless  drops 
Are  every  one  a woe,  a sore  complaint 
’Gainst  him,  whose  wrong  gives  edge  unto  the  swords. 

That  make  such  waste  in  brief  mortality. 

Shakespeare. 

Duelling. 

Of  all  the  cowardly,  craven  excuses  for  shirking  a 
man’s  duty  and  quieting  his  conscience,  this  senseless 
appeal  to  a wounded  “ honor,”  is  the  most  despicable 
and  wicked.  A man  seeks  an  excuse  for  gratifying  his 
desire  for  revenge,  and  gives  or  accepts  a challenge. 
He  and  his  misguided  friends  think  it  is  an  honorable 
thing.  But  he  places  himself  upon  a level  with  the 
lowest  assassin  and  sneak-thief,  for  he  yields  to  the 
basest  passions  that  ever  swayed  the  human  heart. 


452 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


It  is  the  duty  of  every  true  man  to  cry  out  with  un- 
blushing earnestness  against  the  wicked,  senseless  prac- 
tice of  duelling.  Boys  should  be  taught  that  there  is  a 
high  standard  of  bravery  where  the  fear  of  being  called 
a coward  will  have  no  lodging-place.  They  should  be 
taught  that  an  inward  consciousness  of  courage,  and  re- 
sponsibility to  God,  is  of  greater  consequence  than  all 
the  satisfaction  that  can  ever  be  rendered  to  “ wounded 
honor.”  A perfect  horror  of  the  sacrifice  of  a human 
life,  or  the  shedding  of  human  blood,  should  be  incor- 
porated into  the  completed  education  of  every  young 
man  and  young  woman  of  our  land,  and  then,  and  not 
till  then,  will  duelling  cease. 

Men  are  very  slow  to  give  up  their  faith  in  physi- 
cal force,  as  necessary  for  the  guidance,  correction  and 
discipline  of  others.  Force  is  a very  palpable  thing, 
and  dispenses  with  all  inquiry  into  causes  and  effects. 
It  is  the  short  way  of  settling  matters  without  any 
weighing  of  arguments.  It  is  the  summary  logic  of 
the  barbarians,  among  whom  the  best  man  is  he  who 
strikes  the  heaviest  blow  or  takes  the  surest  aim. 

Even  civilized  nations  havO  been  very  slow  to 
abandon  their  faith  in  force.  Until  very  recent  times, 
men  of  honor,  who  chanced  to  fall  out,  settled  their 
quarrels  by  the  duel : and  governments,  almost  with- 
out exception,  resort  to  arms  to  settle  their  quarrels  as 
to  territory  or  international  arrangements.  Indeed,  we 
have  been  so  trained  and  educated  into  a belief  in  the 
efficacy  of  force — war  has  become  so  identified  in 
history  with  honor,  glory,  and  all  sorts  of  high-sound- 
ing names — that  we  can  scarcely  imagine  it  possible 


DUELLING. 


453 


that  the  framework  of  society  could  be  held  together, 
were  the  practice  of  force  discarded,  and  that  of  love, 
benevolence  and  justice  substituted  in  its  place. 

And  yet  doubts  are  widely  entertained  as  to  the 
efficacy  of  the  policy  of  force.  It  is  suspected  that 
force  begets  more  resistance  than  it  is  worth,  and  that 
if  men  are  put  down  by  violent  methods,  a spirit  of 
rebellion  is  created,  which  breaks  out  from  time  to 
time  in  violent  deeds,  in  hatred,  in  vice,  and  in  crime. 
Such,  indeed,  has  been  the  issue  of  the  policy  of  force 
in  all  countries  and  in  all  times.  The  history  of  the 
world  is,  to  a great  extent,  the  history  of  the  failure  of 
physical  force. 

A bill  has  been  introduced  into  the  South  Carolina 
Legislature  by  Senator  Henderson  which  defines  the 
offense,  and  fixes  the  punishment  for  duelling  thus  : If 
one  person  kills  another  in  a duel,  he  shall  be  deemed 
guilty  of  murder,  and  suffer  the  punishment  of  death  ; 
and  so  shall  all  the  seconds  or  aids  of  the  murderer. 
If,  in  a combat,  either  party  should  be  wounded,  no 
matter  how  slightly,  any  and  all  parties  thereto  shall 
be  guilty  of  a misdemeanor,  and,  upon  conviction,  be 
imprisoned  in  the  State  penitentiary  for  not  less  than 
twenty  years.  The  same  law  applies  in  the  event  of  a 
challenge  being  accepted  in  that  State,  and  the  duel 
fought  in  another,  with  either  of  the  above  results. 

We  take  the  above  from  a secular  paper.  Such  a 
law  in  every  State  would  be  a good  one.  Stalwart 
measures  should  be  taken  to  make  duelling  odious. 

A writer  who  describes  the  celebrated  duel  be- 


454 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


tween  Cilley  and  Graves,  at  Washington,  thus  closes 
the  account : 

The  wretched  man  who  thus,  from  a false  sense  of 
honor,  deprived  Cilley  of  his  life,  his  country  of  his 
services,  and  his  young  family  of  a tender  and  devoted 
father,  soon  retired  from  congress  and  lived  out  the 
remainder  of  his  days  in  obscurity  and  wretchedness. 
The  memory  of  his  deed  haunted  him  to  the  last. 
There  is  no  more  miserable  being  than  one  who  has 
killed  his  fellow-man  for  no  cause  except  to  satisfy  a 
false  worldly  pride.  Remorse  is,  and  should  be,  his 
perpetual  portion  and  punishment. 

There  appeared,  many  years  ago,  in  a quaint  old 
English  publication  an  allegory,  giving  the  imaginary 
origin  of  gaming.  It  is  represented  as  a woman,  the 
offspring  of  the  God  of  War  and  the  Goddess  of 
Fortune.  As  she  grew  up  she  was  courted  by  all  the 
gay  and  extravagant  of  both  sexes ; for  she  was  of 
neither  sex,  and  yet  combining  the  attractions  of  each. 
At  length,  however,  being  mostly  beset  by  men  of  the 
sword,  she  formed  an  unnatural  union  with  one  of 
them,  and  gave  birth  to  twins— one  called  Duelling, 
the  other  Suicide.  These  became  their  mother’s 
darlings,  nursed  by  her  with  constant  care  and  tender- 
ness, and  her  perpetual  companions. 


GROWLING. 


455 


Growling.  ' 

Miserymongers  (the  word  is  not  to  be  found  in 
Webster,  yet  it  suits)  are  those  who  do  not  really  suf- 
fer affliction,  but  make  a trade  of  it — and  often  a very 
thriving  business  too.  They  are  scattered  among 
every  class,  but  especially  they  belong  to  the  “genus 
irritable” — the  second  or  third  rate  order  of  people 
who  live  by  their  brains.  Not  the  first  order,  for  the 
highest  form  of  intellect  is  rarely  miserable.  True 
genius  of  the  completest  kind  is  not  only  a mental  but 
a moral  quality.  Itself  creates  the  atmosphere  it  lives 
in;  a higher  and  rarer  air  than  that  of  common  earth. 

“ Calm  pleasures  there  abide;— majestic  pains.” 

A habit  of  scolding  indicates  a want  of  self-disci- 
pline. The  machinery  has  got  from  under  our  own 
hands,  and  has  fallen  to  grating  and  destroying  itself 
under  the  friction  and  perplexities  of  life. 

“Possess  thyself”  is  a more  important  rule  than 
“ Know  thyself.”  Without  this  primary  virtue  we  are 
not  in  a condition  to  receive  much  good  to  ourselves, 
or  to  afford  aid  to  others. 

Of  all  things  which  are  to  be  met  with  here  on 
earth  there  is  nothing  which  can  give  such  continual, 
such  cutting,  such  useless  pain  as  an  undisciplined 
temper.  The  touchy  and  sensitive  temper,  which 
takes  offense  at  a word ; the  irritable  temper,  which 
finds  offense  in  everything,  whether  intended  or  not ; 
the  violent  temper,  which  breaks  through  all  bounds 


456 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  reason  when  once  roused ; the  jealous  or  sullen 
temper,  which  wears  a cloud  on  the  face  all  day  and 
never  utters  a word  of  complaint;  the  discontented 
temper,  brooding  over  its  own  wrongs ; the  severe 
temper,  which  always  looks  at  the  worst  side  of  what- 
ever is  done ; the  wilful  temper,  which  overrides 
every  scruple  to  gratify  a whim — what  an  amount  of 
pain  have  these  caused  in  the  hearts  of  men,  if  we 
could  but  sum  up  their  results ! How  many  a soul 
have  they  stirred  to  evil  impulses,  how  many  a 
prayer  have  they  stifled,  how  many  an  emotion  of  true 
affection  have  they  turned  to  bitterness  ! How  hard 
they  make  all  duties!  How  they  kill  the  sweetest  and 
warmest  of  domestic  charities!  Ill-temper  is  a sin 
requiring  long  and  careful  discipline. 

Every  one  must  see  daily  instances  of  people  who 
complain  from  a mere  habit  of  complaining.  With 
some,  growling  is  chronic.  Life  is  but  one  long  fret. 
The  flesh  is  feverish,  the  nerves  unstrung,  the  spirit 
perturbed  and  in  a state  of  unrest.  The  physical 
condition  and  material  surroundings  may  have  a strong 
tendency  to  disturb  our  equanimity  and  to  exasperate 
our  feelings  ; but  we  ought  to  bear  in  mind  that  scold- 
ing never  did  anybody  any  good,  and  withal,  grows  to 
be  very  uncomfortable  to  the  party  who  indulges  in  it. 

Scolding  turns  a household  into  a pandemonium, 
and  a church  into  an  inquisition.  Bear  in  mind  that 
kindness  and  gentle  speech  are  a great  deal  easier  to 
practice  than  opposites.  Why  practice  the  wrong 
thing  when  harder  ? Arrest  yourself  in  the  indul- 


GROWLING. 


457 


gence  of  this  bad  habit  right  here.  Begin  now,  and 
put  yourself  under  bonds  to  be  good  natured. 

People  of  gloomy,  uncheerful  imaginations  or  of 
envious,  malignant  tempers,  whatever  kind  of  life  they 
are  engaged  in,  will  discover  their  natural  tincture  of 
mind  in  all  their  thoughts,  words  and  actions.  Worry 
is  the  bane  of  the  times.  It  is  everywhere.  It  comes 
in  a thousand  forms,  and  from  ten  thousand  sources, 
and  its  inlets  are  wide  open  in  the  hearts  of  the  multi- 
tude. People  fret,  and  fume,  and  chafe  themselves 
into  disease  and  wretchedness,  and  finally  into  inani- 
tion and  an  untimely  grave. 

Generally  speaking,  if  you  are  troubled  with  “ the 
blues,”  and  cannot  tell  why,  you  may  be  sure  that  it 
springs  from  physical  weakness.  Instead  of  lying  on 
a sofa  and  courting  painful  ideas,  if  you  are  a despond- 
ing lover,  a hypochondriac  or  a valetudinarian,  you 
should  be  up  and  stirring  yourself. 

The  blood  of  a melancholy  man  is  thick  and  slow, 
creeping  sluggishly  through  his  veins,  like  muddy 
waters  in  a canal ; the  blood  of  your  merry,  chirping 
philosopher  is  clear  and  quick,  brisk  as  newly  broached 
champagne.  Try,  therefore,  to  set  your  blood  in 
motion.  To  effect  this,  don’t  go  to  guzzling  down 
brandy-smashes,  gin-cocktails  or  any  of  the  other  jug- 
gling compounds  in  which  alcohol  is  disguised ; for 
every  artificial  stimulant  will  drag  you  down  two  de- 
grees for  every  one  it  lifts  you  up.  The  devil  always 
beats  us  at  barter.  Try,  rather,  what  a smart  walk 
will  do  for  you ; set  your  pegs  in  motion  on  rough, 
rocky  ground,  or  hurry  them  up  a steep,  cragged  hill; 


45§ 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


build  a stone  wall ; swing  an  ax  over  a pile  of  hickory  or 
rock-maple;  turn  a grindstone;  dig  ditches ; practice 
“ground  and  lofty  tumbling;”  pour  water  into  sieves 
with  Danaides,  or  with  Sisyphus  “ up  the  high  hill  heave 
a huge  round  stone;”  in  short,  do  anything  that  will 
start  the  perspiration,  and  you  will  soon  cease  to  have 
your  brains  lined  with  black,  as  Burton  expresses  it. 
or  to  rise  in  the  morning,  as  Cowper  said,  “ like  an 
infernal  frog  out  of  Acheron,  crowned  with  the  ooze 
and  mud  of  melancholy.” 

Nine-tenths  of  the  worry  of  life  is  borrowed  for 
nothing.  Do  your  part ; never  leave  it  undone.  Be 
industrious;  be  prudent;  be  courageous.  Then  throw 
anxiety  to  the  winds.  “ Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the 
evil  thereof;”  therefore  do  not  borrow  any  for  to-mor- 
row. No  one  ever  looked  for  the  dark  side  of  life 
without  finding  it.  Keep  impatience  out  of  your  voice 
and  manners  as  well  as  your  heart.  Some  snap  and 
slam  through  force  of  habit,  even  when  their  hearts 
are  making  as  much  music  as  a tea-kettle  over  glowing 
coals.  Those  passionate  persons  who  carry  their 
hearts  in  their  mouths  are  rather  to  be  pitied  than 
feared ; their  threatenings  serving  no  other  purpose 
than  to  forearm  him  that  is  threatened. 

The  “ Congregationalism”  telling  of  the  death  of  a 
young  man  who  was  not  prepared  for  it,  gives  this 
history  of  his  father’s  family:  “They  were  church 
members,  but  many  years  ago  had  changed  their  resi- 
dence from  the  country  to  the  city,  and  their  position 
in  the  church  from  one  of  influence  in  a small  society 
to  one  of  comparative  obscurity  in  a large  one.  The 


GROWLING. 


459 


new  status  never  pleased  them  ; they  were  proud  and 
disappointed ; they  did  not  enjoy  their  back  seats. 
Then  they  began  to  grumble.  They  grumbled  at  the 
minister,  who  did  not  do  pastoral  work  enough  to  please 
them;  they  had  been  accustomed  to  see  the  pastor 
every  day  or  two  in  the  old  home ; this  man  seemed 
indifferent  to  them;  neither  did  his  preaching  please 
them  ; and  he  had  altogether  too  big  a salary,  and 
they  fancied,  seemed  to  preach  for  the  money.  They 
grumbled  at  the  aristocrats  in  the  church,  people  who 
were  “ stuck  up,”  the  church  itself  becoming  too 
expensive  a luxury  for  poor  folks.  The  result  of  it  all 
was  that  the  formerly  respectable  family  sank  into  one 
that  was  low  and  indifferent,  and  the  death  alluded  to 
came  as  one  of  the  natural  and  inevitable  conse- 
quences.” The  picture  thus  presented  has  many 
counter-parts  through  all  the  churches,  and  they  all  tell 
the  same  story.  If  Christians  spend  their  strength  in 
criticisms  and  complaint,  they  will  perish  under  so  dete- 
riorating a discipline.  Living  faith,  earnest  going  to 
work  in  devotion  to  God  and  love  for  our  fellow-men, 
will  bring  salvation,  but  a failure  to  do  this  will  work 
the  other  way. 

It  is  doubtful  if  there  is  philosophy  enough  in  the 
world,  even  if  it  were  impartially  distributed,  to  put  a 
stop  to  worry.  Some  people  would  begin  to  fret  the 
next  day  after  such  a distribution  of  the  antidote,  that 
they  hadn’t  got  their  share.  And  then  some  things 
are  as  much  stronger  than  philosophy  as  blood  is 
thicker  than  water.  Temperament  is  one  of  them. 
Inherited  mental  traits  or  habits  that  have  crystallized 


460 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


into  disposition,  are  more  of  the  same  sort.  A man 
who  has  the  elements  so  mixed  within  him  that  he 
naturally  borrows  trouble,  and  crosses  bridges  before 
he  gets  to  them,  and  permits  things  small  or  great  to 
fret  him,  is  bound  to  worry.  He  may  as  well  attempt 
to  alter  his  complexion,  or  change  the  thickness  of  his 
skin,  as  to  stop  worrying.  The  most  he  can  do  is  to 
control  the  expression  of  his  mental  state  within  him- 
self— and  that  is  often  more  wearing  to  him  than  to 
give  vent  to  his  feelings.  Speech  is  the  safety-valve 
for  constitutional  growlers,  and  they  are  truly  blessed 
if  they  have  a friend  with  a willing  ear  and  a buoyant 
nature,  on  whom  their  poured-out  troubles  have  no 
more  effect  than  a summer  shower  on  a silk  umbrella. 


Degradation. 


Close  beside  every  man  there  walks  the  ghost  of  what  he  might  have  been. 
If  you  do  not  wish  to  trade  with  the  devil,  keep  out  of  his  shop. — Tkos. 

Fuller. 


A man  may  corrupt  his  taste  and  introduce  an  ele- 
ment of  vulgarism  into  his  expressiveness  by  careless 
familiarity  with  the  foul  and  unlovely.  There  are  a 
great  many  men  that  read  books  to  understand  human 
nature,  who  do  not  know  that  they  are  pouring  filth 
into  the  currents  of  their  souls.  There  are  a great 
many  men  who,  when  they  are  abroad,  go  to  see  sights 
that  human  eyes  ought  not  to  look  upon,  except  they 
be  eyes  of  mercy  looking  to  save  men  as  brands  from 
the  everlasting  burning.  A man  at  the  center  must 


DEGRADATION. 


/]6l 

be  thoroughly  and  immaculately  pure,  if  he  would  be 
at  the  circumference  filled  with  fine  sensibilities  and 
delicate  tastes  so  as  to  appreciate  the  nobly  grand  and 
the  singularly  beautiful. 

Man  is  an  animal  that  cannot  long  be  left  in  safety 
without  occupation;  the  growth  of  fallow  nature  is  apt 
to  run  to  weeds.  A few  days  since,  a man  put  an  end 
to  his  life  because  he  could  not  find  employment. 
After  his  death,  a hotel  bill  was  found  in  his  pocket, 
the  amount  of  which  was  fifty-four  dollars,  more  than 
half  of  which  was  charged  under  the  head  of  “ Bar.” 

None  are  so  much  hardened  as  those  who  hear 
the  word,  and  are  not  converted  under  it;  they  are 
beaten  into  adamante  by  Satan  himself  on  the  anvil  of 
hell.  When  a person  has  his  heart  filled  with  sinful 
thoughts  and  desires  they  prevent  the  Lord  from 
working  in  such  a heart  to  turn  it  from  sin  to  holiness. 

A skeptic  at  a social  party  engrossed  general  at- 
tention by  an  effort  to  prove  that  human  beings  have 
no  souls.  Seeing  the  company  staring  at  him  in 
wonder  and  silence,  he  finally  said  to  a lady,  “What  do 
you  think  of  my  arguments,  madam  ? ” She  promptly 
replied,  “It  appears  to  me,  sir,  that  you  have  been 
employing  a good  deal  of  talent  to  prove  yourself  a 
beast.”  There  was  both  wit  and  wisdom  in  the  lady’s 
reply,  for  if  man  be  not  immortal,  what  is  he  more 
than  a beast?  How  degraded  is  that  man  who  can 
pride  himself  on  his  skill  in  attempting  to  prove  him- 
self degraded. 

It  is  held  by  many  philosophers  that  man  has  in 


462 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


his  single  nature  the  elements  of  every  animal,  bird 
and  reptile  on  the  globe. 

This  alleged  philosophical  truth  is  applied  in  detail 
by  mankind  in  general.  It  is  common  to  say  that  a 
certain  kind  of  man  is  a fox;  that  another  is  a donkey; 
another  a hog;  another  a snake.  Girls  are  apt  to  de- 
scribe a certain  kind  of  bachelor  as  “ a perfect  old 
bear.”  Young  men,  in  a certain  state  of  heart,  are 
given  to  ornithological  metaphors  and  call  their  sweet- 
hearts birds,  doves,  etc.  An  affectionate,  playful  wife, 
sometimes  refers  to  her  husband  as  “ a dear  old 
goose.”  A certain  kind  of  man  is  always  spoken  of 
contemptuously  as  “ an  old  biddy,”  because  he  is  weak 
and  fretful,  and  goes  clucking  and  scratching  around 
like  an  old  hen. 

The  most  revolting  creature  which  is  elemental  in 
the  human  heart,  though  men  are  seldom  compared  to 
it,  is  the  buzzard. 

The  buzzard  of  the  air  feasts  on  decaying  sub- 
stances. The  buzzard  of  the  heart  feasts  on  decaying 
character.  It  revels  in  slander,  and  in  all  the  moral 
debasement  which  is  exhibited  by  depraved  souls  in 
their  efforts  to  drag  others  down  to  their  own  wretched 
condition. 

These  buzzards  of  the  heart  are  found  in  all  ranks 
of  society.  Let  one  of  them,  in  a car,  or  on  a steam- 
boat, or  at  a party,  or  in  a church  vestibule,  begin  to 
tear  at  a bit  of  scandal  ever  so  gently,  and  other 
similar  creatures,  with  like  depraved  appetites,  will 
gather  around. 

Let  the  dove  in  a man  coo  good  of  a fellow  mortal, 


DEGRADATION. 


4-63 


and  these  same  persons  will  instinctively  shrink  away 
from  him  as  a bore,  while  doves  in  other  hearts 
respond  with  answering  coos  of  appreciation. 

For  our  part,  we  prefer  the  doves  of  human  nature 
to  the  buzzards. 

A curious  case  is  reported  in  the  London  papers  of 
1820  of  James  Lloyd,  who  practiced  on  the  credulity 
of  the  lower  orders  by  keeping  a Little  Go , or  illegal 
lottery.  He  was  brought  up  forkhe  twentieth  time  to 
answer  for  that  offense.  This  man  was  a Methodist 
preacher,  and  assembled  his  neighbors  together  at  his 
dwelling  on  a Saturday  to  preach  the  gospel  to  them, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  week  he  was  to  be  found, 
with  an  equally  numerous  party,  instructing  them  in 
the  ruinous  vice  of  gambling.  The  charge  was  clearly 
proved,  and  the  prisoner  was  sentenced  to  three 
months’  imprisonment  with  hard  labor. 

“ The  sharp,  the  black-leg,  and  the  knowing  one, 

Livery  or  lace,  the  self  same  circle  run  : 

The  same  the  passion,  end  and  means  the  same — 

Dick  and  his  Lordship  differ  but  in  name.” 

The  truth  is,  we  have  become  too  selfish.  We 
think  of  ourselves  far  more  than  of  others.  The  more 
devoted  to  pleasure,  the  less  we  think  of  our  fellow- 
creatures.  Selfish  people  are  impervious  to  the  needs 
of  others.  They  exist  in  a sort  of  mailed  armor,  and 
no  weapons,  either  of  misery  or  want,  can  assail  them. 
Their  senses  are  only  open  to  those  who  can  minister 
to  their  gratifications.  “There  are  men,”  says  St. 
Chrysostom,  “ who  seem  to  have  come  into  the  world 
only  for  pleasure,  and  that  they  might  fatten  this  per- 
ishable body.  At  sight  of  their  luxurious  table  the 


464 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


angels  retire — God  is  offended — the  demons  rejoice — 
virtuous  men  are  shocked — and  even  the  domestics 
scorn  and  laugh.  The  just  men  who  have  gone  before 
left  sumptuous  feasts  to  tyrants,  and  to  men  enriched 
by  crime,  who  were  the  scourges  of  the  world.” 

We  no  longer  know  how  to  live  upon  little.  A 
man  must  have  luxury  about  him.  And  yet  a man’s 
life  does  not  consist  in  the  abundance  of  things  he 
possesseth  ; he  must  live  honestly,  though  poor.  Re- 
trenchment of  the  useless,  the  want  even  of  the  rela- 
tively necessary,  is  the  high  road  to  Christian  self- 
denial,  as  well  as  to  antique  strength  of  character. 

The  idle  and  selfish  man  cares  little  for  the  rest  of 
the  world.  He  does  nothing  to  help  the  forlorn  or 
the  destitute.  “What  are  they  to  me?”  he  says;  “let 
them  look  after  themselves.  Why  should  I help 
them  ? They  have  done  nothing  for  me  ! They  are 
suffering?  There  always  will  be  suffering  in  the 
world.  What  can’t  be  cured  must  be  endured.  It  will 
be  all  the  same  a hundred  years  hence  ! ” 

“ Don’t  care  ” can  scarcely  be  roused  by  a voice 
from  the  dead.  He  is  so  much  engrossed  by  his  own 
pleasures,  his  own  business,  or  his  own  idleness,  that 
he  will  give  no  heed  to  the  pressing  claims  of  others. 
The  discussions  about  poverty,  ignorance  or  suffering 
annoy  him.  “ Let  them  work,”  he  says  ; “ why  should 
I keep  them  ? Let  them  help  themselves.”  The  sloth 
is  an  energetic  animal  compared  with  “ Don’t  care.” 
John  Plowman  speaks  as  follows:  Everything  in 

the  world  is  of  some  use  ; but  it  would  puzzle  a doctor 
of  divinity,  or  a philosopher,  or  the  wisest  owl  in  our 


DEGRADATION. 


465 


steeple,  to  tell  the  good  of  idleness  ; that  seems  to  me 
to  be  an  ill  wind  which  blows  nobody  any  good — a 
sort  of  mud  which  breeds  no  eels,  a dirty  ditch  which 
would  not  feed  a frog.  Sift  a sluggard  grain  by  grain, 
and  you’ll  find  him  all  chaff.  I have  heard  men  say, 
“Better  do  nothing  than  do  mischief,”  but  I am  not 
even  sure  of  that ; that  saying  glitters  well,  but  I don’t 
believe  it’s  gold.  I grudge  laziness  even  that  pinch  of 
praise ; I say  it  is  bad,  and  bad  altogether ; for,  look 
ye,  a man  doing  mischief  is  a sparrow  picking  corn — 
but  a lazy  man  is  a sparrow  sitting  on  a nest  full  of 
eggs  which  will  all  turn  to  sparrows  before  long  and 
do  a world  of  hurt.  Don’t  tell  me,  I’m  sure  of  it,  that 
the  rankest  weeds  on  earth  don’t  grow  in  the  minds  of 
those  who  are  busy  at  wickedness,  but  in  foul  corners 
of  idle  men’s  imaginations,  where  the  devil  can  hide 
away  unseen,  like  an  old  serpent  as  he  is. 

I don’t  like  our  boys  to  be  in  mischief,  but  I would 
sooner  see  them  up  to  their  necks  in  the  mud  in  their 
larks  than  sauntering  about  with  nothing  to  do.  If  the 
evil  of  doing  nothing  seems  to  be  less  to-day,  you  will 
find  it  out  to  be  greater  to-morrow  ; the  devil  is  putting 
coals  on  the  fire,  so  the  fire  does  not  blaze,  but,  depend 
upon  it,  it  will  be  a bigger  fire  in  the  end.  Idle  people, 
you  had  need  be  your  own  trumpeters,  for  no  one  else 
can  find  any  good  in  you  to  praise.  I’d  sooner  see 
you  through  a telescope  than  anything  else,  for  I sup- 
pose you  would  then  be  a long  way  off ; but  the  biggest 
pair  of  spectacles  in  the  parish  could  not  see  anything 
in  you  worth  talking  about. 

Debt  is  so  degrading,  that  if  I owed  a man  a penny 

so 


466 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


I would  walk  twenty  miles  in  the  depth  of  winter  to 
pay  him,  sooner  than  to  feel  that  I was  under  an 
obligation.  I should  be  as  comfortable  with  peas  in 
my  shoes,  or  a hedgehog  in  my  bed,  or  a snake  up 
my  back,  as  with  bills  hanging  over  my  head  at  the 
grocer’s,  and  baker’s,  and  the  tailor’s.  Poverty  is 
hard,  but  debt  is  horrible ; a man  might  as  well  have 
a smoky  house  and  a scolding  wife,  which  are  said  to 
be  the  two  worst  evils  of  our  life.  We  may  be  poor, 
and  yet  respectable,  which  John  Ploughman  and  wife 
hope  they  are  and  will  be ; but  a man  in  debt  cannot 
even  respect  himself,  and  he  is  sure  to  be  talked 
about  by  the  neighbors,  and  that  talk  will  not  be  much 
to  his  credit.  Some  persons  appear  to  like  to  be  owing 
money ; but  I would  as  soon  be  a cat  up  a chimney 
with  the  fire  alight,  or  a fox  with  the  hounds  at  my 
heels,  or  a hedgehog  on  a pitchfork,  or  a mouse  under 
an  owl’s  claw. 

An  honest  man  thinks  a purse  full  of  other  people’s 
money  to  be  worse  than  an  empty  one:  he  cannot 
bear  to  eat  other  people’s  cheese,  wear  other  people’s 
shirts,  and  walk  about  in  other  people’s  shoes,  neither 
will  he  be  easy  while  his  wife  is  decked  out  in  the 
milliner’s  bonnets,  and  wears  the  draper’s  flannels. 
The  jackdaw  in  the  peacock’s  feathers  was  soon 
plucked,  and  borrowers  will  surely  come  to  poverty — 
a poverty  of  the  bitterest  sort,  because  there  is  shame 
in  it. 

Living  beyond  their  incomes  is  the  ruin  of  many  of 
my  neighbors  ; they  can  hardly  afford  to  keep  a rabbit, 
and  must  needs  drive  a pony  and  chaise.  I am  afraid 


SECRET  SINS. 


467 


•extravagance  is  the  common  disease  of  the  times,  and 
many  professing  Christians  have  caught  it,  to  their 
shame  and  sorrow.  Good  cotton  or  stuff  gowns  are 
not  good  enough  nowadays  ; girls  must  have  silks  and 
satins,  and  then  there’s  a bill  at  the  dressmaker’s  as 
long  as  a winter’s  night,  and  quite  as  dismal. 

Show  and  style  and  smartness  run  away  with  a 
man’s  means,  keep  the  family  poor,  and  the  father’s 
nose  on  the  grindstone.  Frogs  try  to  look  as  big  as 
bulls,  and  burst  themselves.  Ten  dollars  a week  apes 
five  thousand  a year,  and  comes  to  the  county  court. 
Men  burn  the  candle  at  both  ends,  and  then  say  they 
are  very  unfortunate — why  don’t  they  put  the  saddle 
on  the  right  horse,  and  say  they  are  extravagant? 
Economy  is  half  the  battle  in  life  ; it  is  not  so  hard  to 
earn  money  as  to  spend  it  well.  Hundreds  would 
have  never  known  want  if  they  had  not  first  known 
waste . 


Segi^bt  Sins. 

The  nurse  of  infidelity  is  sensuality.— Cecil. 

What  is  sin  ? Is  it  an  overt  act  of  the  body  ? Is  it 
necessarily  a visible  movement  ? Does  sin  reside  in 
the  material  world  as  the  pestilence  ? Surely  not.  Sin 
is  in  the  thought,  in  the  imagination,  in  the  affections, 
in  the  will.  It  is  there  where  we  resist  God  and  his 
holiness.  It  is  there  where  we  form  character  for 
eternity.  It  is  there  where  God’s  eye  rests. 

“Temptations  lurk,”  says  Bishop  Huntington,  “in 


468 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  pillows  of  comfort  on  which  thoughtless  heads  are 
laid  ; in  pleasures  that  make  earth  so  satisfying  that  we 
feel  no  need  of  heaven  ; in  traffic,  whose  gain  is  offered 
for  falsehood ; in  labor,  where  the  world  gambles  for 
the  soul  ; in  emulation,  where  ambition  is  mistaken  for 
wisdom ; in  fellowship,  where  criminality  is  mistaken 
for  cordiality  and  flattery  for  friendship.  These  are 
clothed  like  angels  of  light.  Here  in  our  hearts  is 
Satan’s  seat,  but  no  harm  can  come  but  by  the  yield- 
ing of  a perverted  will.” 

Look  at  that  oyster  shell.  Do  you  see  a little  hole 
in  the  hard  roof  of  the  oyster’s  house  ? That  explains 
why  there  is  a shell  but  no  oyster.  A little  creature 
called  the  whelk,  living  in  a spiral  shell,  dropped  one 
day  on  the  roof  of  the  oyster’s  house.  “ The  little  in- 
nocents,” some  one  has  called  the  whelks.  “ The  little 
villains,”  an  oyster  would  call  them,  for  the  whelk  has 
an  auger,  and  bores,  and  bores,  and  bores,  until  he 
reaches  the  oyster  itself,  and  the  poor  oyster  finds  he 
is  going  up  through  his  own  roof.  He  goes  up,  but  he 
never  comes  down. 

A writer  speaks  of  noticing  on  the  shores  of  Brit- 
tany the  holes  in  the  oyster  bored  by  its  enemy,  both 
burglar  and  murderer,  we  should  call  him. 

'A  little  sin,  a little  sin !”  cries  a boy  who  may  have 
been  caught  saying  a profane  word,  or  strolling  with 
a bad  associate,  or  reading  a bad  book,  or  sipping  a 
glass  of  beer.  “Don’t  make  too  much  of  it!”  he 
says. 

voung  friend,  that’s  the  whelk  on  the  oyster’s  back. 
You  have  given  the  tempter  a chance  to  use  his  auger. 


SECRET  SINS. 


469 


and  he  will  bore  and  bore  till  he  reaches  the  center  of 
all  moral  worth  in  the  soul,  and  draws  your  very  life 
away. 

In  the  highway  of  every  life  there  is  a lion,  who 
wrestles  with  us  and  strengthens  us.  Some  of  the 
finest  light  dawns  upon  our  souls  from  successful  con- 
flict with  secret  sins.  In  the  commission  of  evil,  fear 
no  man  so  much  as  thyself.  Another  is  but  one  witness 
against  thee:  thou  art  a thousand  ; another  thou  may- 
est  avoid : thyself  thou  canst  not.  Wickedness  is  its 
own  punishment.  Temptation  is  not  sin,  and  no  man 
need  be  defiled  by  it  except  through  his  own  yielding 
and  failure  to  turn  aside  from  it. 

The  ruin  of  most  men  dates  from  some  vacant 
hour.  Occupation  is  the  armor  of  the  soul;  and  the 
train  of  idleness  is  borne  up  by  all  the  vices.  I 
remember  a satirical  poem  in  which  the  devil  is  repre- 
sented as  fishing  for  men,  and  adapting  his  baits  to  the 
tastes  and  temperament  of  his  prey ; but  the  idler,  he 
said,  pleased  him  most,  because  he  bit  the  naked  hook. 
To  the  young  man  away  from  home,  friendless  and 
forlorn  in  a great  city,  the  hours  of  peril  are  those 
between  sunset  and  bedtime ; for  the  moon  and  stars 
see  more  of  evil  in  a single  hour  than  the  sun  in  his 
whole  day’s  circuit.  A vile  imagination,  once  indulged, 
gets  the  key  of  our  minds,  and  can  get  in  again  very 
easily,  whether  we  will  or  no,  and  can  so  return  as  to 
bring  seven  other  spirits  with  it,  more  wicked  than 
itself ; and  what  may  follow,  no  one  knows. 

The  gnawings  of  appetite  are  like  a roused  lioness 
with  her  whelps.  How  many  there  are  who  wish  the) 


470 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


were  released  from  Its  thraldom  ! But  they  have  not 
tried  to  be,  or  have  tried,  it  may  be  repeatedly,  and 
have  failed.  The  first  external  revelations  of  the  dry- 
rot  in  men  is  a tendency  to  lurk  and  lounge;  to  be  at 
street  corners  without  intelligible  reason  ; to  be  going 
anywhere  when  met ; to  be  about  many  places  rather 
than  any  one  ; to  do  nothing  tangible  but  to  have  an 
intention  of  performing  a number  of  tangible  duties 
to-morrow  or  the  day  after. 

Original  sin  is  in  us  like  the  beard : we  are  shaved 
to-day  and  look  clean,  and  have  a smooth  chin ; 
to-morrow  our  beard  has  grown  again,  nor  does  it 
cease  growing  while  we  remain  on  earth.  In  like 
manner  original  sin  cannot  be  extirpated  from  us;  it 
springs  up  in  us  as  long  as  we  exist ; nevertheless  we 
are  bound  to  resist  it  to  our  utmost  strength,  and  to 
cut  it  down  unceasingly. 

Love  is  rarely  a hypocrite.  But  hate  ! how  detect, 
and  how  guard  against  it.  It  lurks  where  you  least 
expect  it,  it  is  created  by  causes  that  you  can  the  least 
foresee ; and  civilization  multiplies  its  varieties  whilst 
it  favors  its  disguise ; for  civilization  increases  the 
number  of  contending  interests,  and  refinement  ren- 
ders more  susceptible  to  the  least  irritation  the  cuticle 
of  self-love. 

The  fallen  angels  had  been  long  obedient,  but  one 
sin,  the  first  sin,  turned  God’s  heart  against  them.  He 
swept  them  from  his  presence  and  from  his  heart.  It 
had  another  effect.  It  completely  changed  their  hearts 
towards  God.  Don’t  trifle  with  one  sin.  Who  can  tell  of 
the  bitterness  that  has  been  in  the  hearts  of  these 


SECRET  SINS. 


47 1 


angels  ever  since  from  trifling  with  one  sin?  Of  the 
wrath,  the  eternal  blight  that  came  upon  them?  God 
spared  them  not,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell.  They  are 
now  reserved  in  chains,  in  darkness,  unto  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  day,  and  at  the  end  are  to  be  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire.  All  for  one  sin,  no  kindness 
shown  them  from  the  beginning.  Why  God  has  com- 
passion for  our  world  when  he  has  none  for  the  fallen 
angels,  no  man  can  tell. 

It  is  an  awful  thing  to  see  a soul  in  ruins  ; like  a 
temple  which  once  was  fair  and  noble,  but  now  lies 
overthrown,  matted  with  ivy,  weeds  and  tanglsd  briers, 
among  which  things  loathsome  crawl  and  live.  He  shall 
reap  the  harvest  of  disappointment, — the  harvest  of 
bitter,  useless  remorse.  The  crime  of  sense  is  avenged 
by  sense,  which  wears  by  time.  He  shall  have  the 
worm  that  gnaws,  and  the  fire  that  is  not  quenched. 
He  shall  reap  the  fruit  of  long  indulged  desires,  which 
have  become  tyrannous  at  last,  and  constitute  him  his 
own  tormenter.  His  harvest  is  a soul  in  flames,  and 
the  tongue  that  no  drop  can  cool ; passions  that  burn, 
and  appetites  that  crave,  when  the  power  of  enjoyment 
is  gone.  He  has  sowed  to  the  flesh;  “God  is  not 
mocked.”  The  man  reaps. 

There  are  persons  who  go  through  life  sinning  and 
sorrowing,  sorrowing  and  sinning.  No  experience 
teaches  them.  Torrents  of  tears  flow  from  their  eyes. 
They  are  full  of  eloquent  regrets.  You  cannot  find  it 
in  your  heart  to  condemn  them,  for  their  sorrow  is  so 
graceful  and  touching,  so  full  of  penitence  and  self- 
condemnation.  But  tears,  heartbreaks,  repentance, 


4 72 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


warnings,  are  all  in  vain.  Where  they  did  wrong 
once,  they  do  wrong  again.  What  are  such  persons 
to  do  in  the  next  life? 

God  only  knows.  But  Christ  has  said:  “Not 

every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.” 

The  heart  — the  heart  — there  is  the  evil!  The 
imagination,  which  was  given  to  spiritualize  the  senses, 
is  often  turned  into  a means  of  sensualizing  the  spirit. 
Beware  of  reverie,  and  indulgence  in  forbidden  images, 
unless  you  would  introduce  into  your  bosom  a serpent, 
which  will  creep,  and  crawl,  and  leave  the  venom  of 
its  windings  in  your  heart.  Think  not  that  guilt  re- 
quires the  burning  torches  of  the  Furies  to  agitate  and 
torment  it.  Frauds,  crimes,  remembrances  of  the  past, 
terrors  of  the  future, — there  are  the  domestic  Furies 
that  are  ever  present  to  the  mind  of  the  impious. 
Malice  is  mental  murder ; you  may  kill  a man  and 
never  touch  him. 

No  man,  for  any  considerable  period,  can  wear  one 
face  to  himself  and  another  to  the  multitude,  without 
finally  getting  bewildered  as  to  which  may  be  true.  It 
is  astonishing  how  soon  the  whole  conscience  begins  to 
unravel  if  a single  stitch  drops  ; one  single  sin  indulged 
in  makes  a hole  you  could  put  your  head  through. 

Perhaps  envy,  like  lying  and  ingratitude,  is  prac- 
ticed with  more  frequency,  because  it  is  practiced  with 
impunity;  but  there  being  no  human  laws  against  these 
crimes,  is  so  far  from  an  inducement  to  commit  them, 
that  this  very  consideration  would  be  sufficient  to  deter 
the  wise  and  good,  if  all  others  were  ineffectual ; for  of 


VICIOUS  AMUSEMENTS. 


473 


how  heinous  a nature  must  those  sins  be  which  are 
judged  above  the  reach  of  human  punishment,  and  are 
reserved  for  the  final  justice  of  God  himself. 

Are  you  the  keeper  of  a guilty  secret?  And  do 
you  think  it  can  never  break  the  walls  of  your  heart, 
and  pass  by  the  affrighted  sentinels  of  your  lips  ? It 
will  escape  in  spite  of  your  careful  dreaming.  Confess 
it  to  Christ,  and  be  rid  of  the  burden  forever. 


UlGIOUS  flMUSEMEOTS. 

A morning  paper  recently  contained  the  following 
advertisement : 

“Wanted — A dog.  Will  pay  ten  dollars  for  a 

good  young  dog.  Bring  dog  for  two  days  to , 

C Hotel.” 

The  advertisement  was  sent  to  the  paper  by  a 
number  of  friends  (?)  of  the  gentleman  whose  name 
appeared  with  it,  the  object  being  only  to  perpetrate. a 
practical  joke.  The  victim  of  the  joke  was  absent 
from  the  city  during  the  day  on  which  the  advertise- 
ment appeared,  but  when  he  returned  to  his  hotel  in 
the  evening,  what  was  his  surprise  and  bewilderment 
to  be  pounced  upon  by  what  seemed  to  him  for  a mo- 
ment a small  army  of  dog-owners,  each  anxious  to 
dispose  of  an  ill-favored  cur.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
every  one  of  them  went  from  the  hotel  carrying  his 
dog  with  him,  while  a vengeful  spirit  took  possession 


474 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  the  irate  victim  as  he  ascended  the  stairs  to  his 
room. 

Macaulay’s  truthful  words  concerning  practical 
jokes  came  to  mind  when  we  heard  of  this  silly  pro- 
ceeding. Speaking  of  Frederick  the  Great,  the  brill- 
iant essayist  says  : 

“He  had  one  taste  which  may  be  pardoned  in  a 
boy,  but  which,  when  habitually  and  deliberately  in- 
dulged in  by  a man  of  mature  age  and  strong  under- 
standing, is  almost  invariably  the  sign  of  a bad  heart — 
a taste  for  severe  practical  jokes.  If  a friend  of  the 
king  was  fond  of  dress,  oil  was  flung  over  his  richest 
suit.  If  he  was  fond  of  money,  some  prank  was  in- 
vented to  make  him  disburse  more  than  he  could 
spare.  If  he  was  hypochondriacal,  he  was  made  to 
believe  that  he  had  the  dropsy.  If  he  particularly  set 
his  heart  on  visiting  a place,  a letter  was  forged  to 
frighten  him  from  going  thither. 

“These  things,  it  may  be  said,  are  trifles.  They 
are  so,  but  they  are  indications  not  to  be  mistaken  of 
a nature  to  which  the  sight  of  human  suffering  and 
human  degradation  is  an  agreeable  excitement.” 

What  do  you  think,  boys  — was  Macaulay  right 
when  he  said  this  taste  for  so  mean  a thing  as  practical: 
joking  may  be  pardoned  in  a boy?  If  it  is  a thing  to' 
be  shunned  by  men,  ought  not  boys  to  let  it  alone? 

“They  cheated  a man  and  killed  him,”  said  a little 
boy  to  his  father.  The  father  was  about  to  remonstrate 
and  to  inform  the  child  that  cheating  was  not  killing. 
But  the  child  continued  his  story.  That  one  of  his 
school-fellows  informed  him  that  several  men  had  com 


VICIOUS  AMUSEMENTS. 


475 


bined  to  make  another  man  believe  that  they  were 
drinking  gin,  when  in  fact  it  was  only  water;  and  that 
the  man  fell  a victim  to  the  imposture,  by  continuing 
to  drink  as  much  gin  as  his  companions  did  water, 
until  he  killed  himself.  Thus  cheating  turned  out  to 
be  killing  the  body,  and  we  fear  has  sometimes  killed 
the  soul. 

It  is  right  that  we  should  brighten  our  lives  with  in- 
nocent pleasure;  far  be  it  from  me  to  deny  the  hu- 
manizing effects  of  harmless  happiness.  But  while 
this  is  right  and  allowable,  it  is  not  grand  nor  heroic. 
The  highest  type  of  character,  be  he  stoic,  monk  or 
apostle,  thinks  little  of  his  own  happiness,  and  scarcely 
knows  the  meaning  of  the  word  pleasure.  There  are 
flowers  for  the  bridal  garland,  blossoms  for  the  May 
queen’s  crown,  but  for  the  brow  of  the  hero,  only  the 
gray  of  the  olive,  only  the  green  of  the- laurel. 

That  which  weakens  one’s  power  or  dwarfs  his 
spiritual  nature  can  never  be  sanctioned  as  an  appro- 
priate amusement.  The  physical  life,  the  intellectual 
life,  the  spiritual  life,  in  their  subtle  relations,  must  en- 
ter into  the  problem  of  recreations,  as  must  also  our 
brother’s  good.  It  is  far  from  my  design  severely  to 
condemn  the  innocent  pleasures  of  life ; I would  only 
beg  leave  to  observe  that  those  which  are  criminal 
should  never  be  allowed  ; and  that  even  the  most  in- 
nocent will,  by  immoderate  use,  soon  cease  to  be  so. 

Rollin,  the  historian,  asserts  that  the  decline  and 
fall  of  the  Athenian  States  was  owing  to  the  fondness 
of  the  people  for  theaters.  No  nation  can  long  endure 
and  advance  whose  ideal  ignores  moral  beauty.  Cor- 


476 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ruption  brings  death.  Culture  can  only  carve  and 
whiten  the  sepulchre  of  a nation  ; it  cannot  stay  the 
progress  of  dissolution.  No  virtue  on  the  part  of  our 
parents  can  save  us  if  the  salt  of  our  character  has 
lost  its  savor. 

A Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  New  York,  in  conver- 
sation with  a bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church, 
recently  stated  that  the  work  of  the  confessional  re- 
vealed the  fact  that  nineteen  out  of  every  twenty- 
women  who  fall  can  trace  the  beginning  of  their  sad 
state  to  the  modern  dance. 

Crockford’s,  which  was  opened  in  1827,  was  the 
most  famous  of  modern  London  gambling-houses.  It 
was  fashionable.  Crockford  was  originally  a fishmon- 
ger. In  1840  he  retired  a millionaire,  much  as  an  In- 
dian chief  retires  from  a hunting  country  when  there 
is  not  game  enough  left  for  his  tribe.  Turf-gambling 
has  long  been  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  of  En- 
glish immorals.  Lord  Foley,  who  died  in  1793,  is  sup- 
posed to  have  lost  a million  dollars  on  the  turf.  In 
1867,  the  late  young  Marquis  of  Hastings  lost  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  on  Hermit.  When  rapid  de- 
cay and  a premature  death  put  an  end  to  his  sufferings, 
many  felt  that  he  had  atoned  for  his  errors  and  indis- 
cretions, while  all  united  in  considering  him  another 
unfortunate  victim  added  to  the  long  list  of  those  who 
have  sacrificed  their  fortune,  health  and  honor  to  the 
gambling  Moloch  presiding  over  the  turf  of  England. 

Not  less  vicious  and  cruel  is  that  mind  which  can 
find  amusement  in  the  slaughter  of  any  of  God’s  crea- 
tures, even  though  it  be  nothing  more  than  a little  fly. 


VICIOUS  AMUSEMENTS. 


4 77 


A very  bad  state  of  things  prevails  at  the  Bass  Rock 
in  the  Firth  of  Forth.  The  solon  goose  has  made  it 
the  favorite  haunt  of  bird-killers.  Yachts  and  steamers 
sail  round  the  rock,  and  for  hours  keep  up  an  inces- 
sant and  deadly  fusillade.  The  birds,  young  and  old, 
fall  in  scores,  and,  whether  wounded  or  dead,  are  left  to 
their  fate.  The  wounded,  with  broken  legs  or  bleed- 
ing wings,  toss  about  the  restless  ocean,  mutilated 
waifs,  and  die  in  tortures  impossible  to  describe.  And 
yet  inhuman  beings  call  this  “sport.” 

Here,  for  instance,  is  a case  in  which  the  brute  was 
much  better  than  the  man.  A certain  dog  belonged 
to  a farmer  in  Cumberland.  The  man  made  a bet  that 
his  dog  would  drive  a flock  of  sheep  from  Cumberland 
to  Liverpool,  a distance  of  more  than  a hundred  miles, 
without  help  or  supervision.  Considering  the  tortuous 
road,  the  groups  of  animals  and  conveyances  to  be  met 
on  the  road,  and  the  length  of  the  journey,  the  dog’s 
chances  seemed  hopeless.  Nevertheless,  in  the  course 
of  a few  days,  the  dog  reached  Liverpool  with  all  his 
flock.  The  dog  had  done  his  duty,  but  he  was  famished. 
After  delivering  up  his  charge,  he  fell  down  dead  on 
the  street  of  Liverpool  — a victim  to  his  master’s 
brutality. 

A constant  habit  of  amusement  relaxes  the  tone  of 
the  mind,  and  renders  it  totally  incapable  of  application, 
study  or  virtue.  Dissipation  not  only  indisposes  its 
votaries  to  everything  useful  and  excellent,  but  dis- 
qualifies them  for  the  enjoyment  of  pleasure  itself.  To 
those  persons  who  have  vomited  out  of  their  souls  all 
remnants  of  goodness,  there  rests  a certain  pride  in 


478 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


evil ; and  having  else  no  shadow  of  glory  left  them, 
they  glory  to  be  constant  in  iniquity. 

“No  one,”  says  Jerome,  “loves  to  tell  of  scandal 
except  to  him  who  loves  to  hear  it.”  Learn,  then,  to 
rebuke  and  check  the  detracting  tongue  by  showing 
that  you  do  not  listen  to  it  with  pleasure.  It  is 
observed  of  the  hen  that,  loathing  the  plenty  of  meat 
that  is  cast  before  her  on  a clean  floor,  she  will  be 
scratching  in  a hole  or  spurring  the  dunghill  in  search 
of  one  single  musty  grain.  So  these  over  busy  people, 
neglecting  such  obvious  and  common  things  into 
which  any  man  may  inquire  and  talk  of  without  offense, 
cannot  be  satisfied  unless  they  rake  into  the  private  and 
concealed  evils  of  every  family  in  the  neighborhood. 
It  was  smartly  said  by  the  Egyptian  who,  being  asked 
what  it  was  he  carried  so  closely,  replied,  it  was  there- 
fore covered  that  it  might  be  secret. 

Luxury  and  dissipation,  soft  and  gentle  as  their  ap- 
proaches are,  and  silently  as  they  throw  their  silken 
chains  about  the  heart,  enslave  it  more  than  the  most 
active  and  turbulent  vices.  The  mightiest  conquerors 
have  been  conquered  by  these  unarmed  foes ; the 
flowery  fetters  are  fastened  before  they  are  felt.  The 
blandishments  of  Circe  were  fatal  to  the  mariners  of 
Ulysses,  as  well  as  the  cruelty  of  Polyphemus  and  the 
brutality  of  the  Laestrigous.  Hercules,  after  he  had 
cleansed  the  Augaean  stables,  and  performed  all  the 
other  labors  enjoined  upon  him  by  Euristheus,  found 
himself  a slave  to  the  softness  of  the  heart;  and  he 
who  wore  a club  and  a lion’s  skin  in  the  cause  of 
virtue  condescended  to  the  most  effeminate  employ- 


VICIOUS  AMUSEMENTS. 


479 


ments  to  gratify  a criminal  weakness.  Hannibal,  who 
vanquished  mighty  nations,  was  himself  overcome  by 
the  love  of  pleasure  ; and  he  who  despised  cold  and 
want,  and  danger,  and  death,  on  the  Alps,  was  con- 
quered and  undone  by  the  dissolute  indulgences  of 
Capua. 

Before  Telemachus  landed  on  the  island  of  Cyprus, 
he  unfortunately  lost  his  prudent  companion  Mentor, 
in  whom  wisdom  is  so  finely  personified.  At  first  he 
beheld  with  horror  the  wanton  and  dissolute  manners 
of  the  voluptuous  inhabitants.  The  ill  effects  of  their 
example  were  not  immediate.  He  did  not  fall  into  the 
commission  of  glaring  enormities,  but  his  virtue  was 
secretly  and  imperceptibly  undermined,  his  heart  was 
softened  by  their  pernicious  society,  and  the  nerve  of 
resolution  was  slackened.  He  every  day  beheld  with 
diminished  indignation  the  worship  which  was  offered 
to  Venus.  The  disorders  of  luxury  and  profaneness 
became  less  and  less  terrible ; and  the  infectious  air  of 
the  country  enfeebled  his  courage  and  relaxed  his 
principles.  In  short,  he  had  ceased  to  love  virtue  long 
before  he  thought  of  committing  actual  vice;  and  the 
duties  of  a manly  piety  were  burdensome  to  him  be- 
fore he  was  so  debased  as  to  offer  perfumes  and  burn 
incense  on  the  altar  of  the  licentious  goddess. 

Those  who  have  not  yet  determined  on  the  side  of 
vanity,  who,  like  Hercules  (before  he  knew  the  Queen 
of  Lydia,  and  had  learned  to  spin),  have  not  resolved 
on  their  choice  between  virtue  and  pleasure,  may 
reflect  that  it  is  still  in  their  power  to  imitate  that 
noble  hero  in  his  noble  choice,  and  in  his  virtuous 


480 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


rejection.  They  may  also  reflect,  with  grateful 
triumph,  that  Christianity  furnishes  them  with  a better 
guide  than  the  tutor  of  Alciades,  and  with  a surer  light 
than  the  doctrines  of  pagan  philosophy. 

Dii^p,  Disease  and  Death.  • 

There  are  few  more  prolific  causes  of  disease  than 
the  miasmic  exhalations  which  occur  especially  in 
new  and  unsettled  regions,  or  which  arise  from  the 
presence  of  stagnant  water  or  decaying  and  putrescent 
substances.  Sometimes  through  such  malarial  in- 
fluences, all  who  inhabit  a certain  house,  or  drink  of  a 
certain  well,  or  reside  in  a certain  city,  or  who  dwell 
upon  the  borders  of  some  stream  or  marsh,  are 
especially  liable  to  be  seized  with  some  deadly  disease 
which  pursues  them  to  their  very  tombs.  Thus  many 
localities  are  known  to  be  notoriously  unhealthy,  and 
the  general  condition  of  the  dwellers  there  is  a condi- 
tion of  infirmity,  feebleness  and  disease.  And  though 
some  robust  constitutions  may  overcome  these  evil 
tendencies,  and  may  escape  for  the  time  the  dread 
infliction,  yet  these  cases  are  exceptional,  and  with  the 
multitude  the  case  is  otherwise. 

But  there  are  other  miasmic  influences  which 
affect  the  mental  and  spiritual  life  of  man.  There  are 
schools  of  thought  which  are  pestilential ; there  are 
educational  influences  which  are  ruinous.  There  are 
communities  where  the  moral  tone  is  low  and  un- 


DIRT,  DISEASE  AND  DEATH. 


481 


healthful,  and  where  moral  disease  and  spiritual  death 
seem  to  prevail.  There  are  classes  of  opinions  which 
exercise  the  direst  influence  upon  those  who  embrace 
them.  There  are  religious  communities  in  which  the 
sap  and  life  which  appertains  to  Christian  faith  have 
been  withdrawn  and  destroyed  by  the  presence  of 
some  insidious  and  deadly  error  which  poisons  and 
ruins  everything  around  them. 

Spiritual  degradation  as  naturally  follows  and 
supervenes  upon  physical  degradation,  as  night 
follows  upon  clay.  Surround  a man  or  woman  with 
low,  debasing  circumstances ; induce  one  to  forego 
the  common  habits  of  cleanliness ; force  him  to 
abstain  from  habitual  means  of  comfort  and  happiness  ; 
and  his  moral  tone  will  be  lowered  in  direct  ratio. 
Habit  of  mind  may  be  so  strong  as  to  hold  him  from 
the  indulgence  of  vice,  but  the  inclination  will  be  much 
stronger  to  do  evil  than  before. 

The  man  who  has  fixed  principles  of  care  for  his 
bodily  health,  and  who  attends  closely  to  the  observ- 
ance of  the  rules  of  hygiene,  will,  other  things  being 
equal,  offer  a much  stronger  resistance  to  temptations 
to  an  evil  life,  and  if  he  is  overtaken  and  overcome  by 
seductive  circumstances,  h'e  will  rally  to  a reformed 
life  in  almost  every  instance,  while  the  careless  man, 
reckless  of  his  physical  health,  sinks  lower  and  lower, 
too  indolent  to  grasp  the  opportunity  for  reformation. 

It  is  impossible  for  one  to  lead  a righteous  life  and 
at  the  same  time  be  indifferent  to  personal  cleanliness. 

It  has  been  well  said  “Cleanliness  is  next  to  Godli- 
31 


482 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ness.”  In  fact  it  is  so  near  to  Godliness,  that  the  latter 
cannot  dwell  long  in  the  human  heart  without  the 
former.  The  professing  Christian,  who  continues 
indifferent  to  filth  and  its  accompanying  discomforts, 
belies  his  profession,  for  the  Gospel  teaches  the  doc- 
trine of  purity  of  body  as  well  as  of  soul. 

Dirt,  as  well  as  disease  and  death,  is  one  of  the 
accompanying  curses  of  sin,  and  as  we  get  out  from 
under  the  dominion  of  sin,  we  put  off  our  affiliation  and 
companionship  with  its  associates.  To  keep  clean, 
then,  is  not  only  a means  of  comfort,  happiness  and 
health,  but  is  a Christian  duty,  incumbent  on  every  one 
of  us  who  profess  to  be  led  by  Him  who  came  to 
bestow  life  upon  a dying  race. 

Not  very  long  ago  I heard  a clergyman  seriously 
proclaim  that  “ the  Gospel  ” must  first  be  given  to  the 
starving,  sinning,  suffering  denizens  of  London  courts 
and  alleys — the  Gospel  first,  and  food,  clothes,  soap 
and  water,  and  decent  dwellings  afterwards.  It  is  one 
of  the  trying  things  of  going  to  church  that  whatever 
a man  says  one  must  hear  him  ; one  cannot  stand  up 
and  contradict  him ; else  I should  like  to  have  sug- 
gested to  this  well-meaning  but  narrow-visioned 
preacher  how  much  a man’s  moral  nature  depends 
upon  his  surroundings.  Diogenes  might  not  have 
been  a cynic  if  he  had  not  lived  in  a tub  ; and  I doubt 
if  the  noblest  man  alive,  if  compelled  to  inhabit  a pig- 
sty, would  long  remain  much  better  than  a swine. 

Therefore  it  behooves  us  to  take  heed  that  the  cor- 
poreal habitation  into  which  our  spirit  is  put — for  this 
life  at  least — is  dealt  with  as  kindly  as  circumstances 


TRAMPS. 


A Q 1 

4°  j 

allow,  carefully  cherished,  swept  and  garnished,  and 
made  the  most  commodious  residence  possible,  so  as  to 
allow  free  play  to  its  immortal  inhabitant. 

Stamps. 

Vagabondage,  which  is,  in  its  present  form,  a new 
thing  in  this  country,  should  be  made  a penal  offense, 
and  the  tramp  be  regarded  as  an  enemy  to  social  or- 
der, to  be  summarily  arrested  and  compelled  to 
earn  his  bread  by  hard  labor.  Until  some  such 
plan  as  this  is  adopted,  the  evil  will  continue,  and  will 
grow  to  such  unendurable  proportions  that  citizens 
will  be  driven  to  desperate  measures  to  rid  themselves 
of  the  evil. 

The  following  sensible  words  are  taken  from  a 
recent  periodical:  “All  through  the  country  during  the 
past  few  years  there  has  been  an  unheard-of  pother 
concerning  tramps,  who,  like  locusts,  have  been 
swarming  over  the  land.  They  have  proved  them- 
selves beggars,  thieves,  robbers  and  murderers,  and 
have  become  a scourge  to  the  rural  communities. 
Where  do  they  come  from,  and  what  condition  of 
society  has  produced  them,  are  interesting  questions. 
They  are  a class  unknown  until  quite  recently.  Local 
authorities  have  been  much  troubled  as  to  the  disposi- 
tion of  these  pests.  A bill  has  been  introduced  into 
the  Legislature  of  New  York,  providing  for  their 
arrest  and  confinement.  To  meet  the  expenses  it  is 


484 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


provided  that  they  may  be  farmed  out  and  compelled 
to  work ; and  if  they  wish  to  be  sent  to  their  homes, 
they  are  to  be  obliged  to  work  and  earn  the  money  it 
would  cost  to  transport  them  there.  These  tramps  are 
getting  to  be  such  a nuisance,  and  such  a danger,  that 
something  must  be  done  to  protect  the  people  in  the 
country  from  their  depredations.” 

The  “New  Haven  Register”  contains  the  following: 
“A  reverend  gentleman  recently  went  to  the  town 
agent’s  office  to  make  explanations  in  regard  to  a 
family  that  was  making  considerable  trouble  for  the  au- 
thorities. He  said  that  the  husband  was  utterly  unfit 
to  have  the  care  of  a family  and  would  not  support  his 
wife,  and  therefore  was  very  much  in  favor  of  a legal 
separation  as  the  best  thing,  not  only  for  the  man  and 
woman,  but  for  the  town.  The  case  was  one  that  ex- 
cited considerable  interest  among  the  authorities,  as  it 
was  found  that  the  husband  was  the  son  of  a father 
and  mother,  both  of  whom  had  during  the  later  years 
of  their  lives  been  recipients  of  town  charity. 

“ When  this  fact  was  ascertained,  the  question  natu- 
rally arose,  ‘ Is  pauperism  hereditary  ? ’ A search  in 
the  records  of  the  town  agent’s  office,  so  far  as  they 
go,  has  been  made  at  leisure  times  by  Clerk  Zunder, 
and  the  result  is  a confirmation  of  the  theory  so  often 
advanced  by  thinkers,  that  pauperism,  like  other 
crimes — for  pauperism  is  in  many  cases  little  less  than 
a crime — is  hereditary,  and  the  number  of  cases  where 
pauper  parents  transmitted  their  pauperism  to  the 
children  is  something  astonishing  to  one  mot  familiar 
with  the  intricacies  of  social  science.” 


TRAMPS. 


485 


Many  very  interesting  essays  and  pamphlets  have 
been  written  by  men  who  have  made  the  history  of 
crime  a study;  and  a similar  research  into  the  causes 
of  pauperism  would  undoubtedly  result  in  much  good, 
showing  to  the  managers  of  charities  and  town  au- 
thorities the  whys  and  wherefores  of  the  increase  of 
pauperism,  and  perhaps  also  give  them  hints  as  to  the 
best  way  in  which  to  prevent  and  cure  it. 

Here  in  this  city  the  theory  that  pauperism  is 
hereditary  has  been  acted  upon  to  a certain  extent  by 
the  managers  of  our  local  charities,  and  their  efforts 
have  been  directed  towards  effecting  a cure,  if  possible. 
Their  method  is  to  induce  all  who  spring  from  pauper 
parents  to  work  and  learn  habits  of  industry.  If  they 
are  assisted  by  either  the  town  or  the  local  charities,  it 
is  almost  certain  that  they  will  always  depend  upon 
them  for  support,  and  will  not  work  for  a living  unless 
they  are  forced  to  do  so. 

The  investigations  in  the  town  agent’s  office  show 
that  a large  number  of  the  people  in  the  alms-house 
and  out  of  it,  who  are  weekly  recipients  of  the  town’s 
charity,  and  who  also  receive  aid  from  the  central  office 
or  charitably  disposed  persons,  are  sons  and  daughters 
of  parents  who  were  either  town  paupers  or  supported 
by  charity.  In  some  cases  only  one  parent  was  sup- 
ported by  outside  aid,  and  then  it  has  been  the  case 
that  the  children  who  most  nearly  resemble  the  pauper 
parent  were  paupers,  while  those  resembling  the 
industrious  parent  were  industrious  children. 

The  results  of  pauperism,  connubial  infelicities  and 
family  troubles,  which  bring  about  such  disagreements 


486 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


as  result  in  crimes  of  a greater  or  less  degree,  are 
almost  invariably  transmitted  to  future  generations, 
and  the  researches  show  this  to  be  the  fact  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten.  This  is  even  found  to  be  the  fact  in 
several  cases  that  have  come  to  light,  when  the 
children  were  not  aware  of  the  fact  that  their  progeni- 
tors were  dependent  on  charity.  The  taint  of  pau- 
perism runs  in  the  blood,  and  must  be  educated  out  of 
the  system,  or  else  it  can  never  be  conquered. 

Another  fact  has  been  discovered  by  the  researches, 
and  one  that  is  universal  and  indisputable.  A child  of 
pauper  parents  never  makes  a good  father  or  mother, 
and  a marriage  between  two  of  that  class  is  absolutely 
certain  to  result  in  abject  misery,  an  unhappy  union, 
squalid  poverty,  and  usually  a large  family,  that  has  to 
be  supported  by  charity.  The  homes  of  such  families 
are  no  homes  at  all ; and  in  the  light  of  these  facts  it 
seems  almost  a criminal  matter  to  unite  in  the  bonds 
of  wedlock  parties  who  spring  from  such  a diseased 
root. 

It  is  a row  of  empty  houses  that  gets  its  windows 
broken  ; and  empty  heads,  empty  hearts  and  idle  hands 
are  sure  to  come  to  grief.  A lazy  boy  makes  a lazy 
man,  just  as  sure  as  a crooked  sapling  makes  a 
crooked  tree.  Who  ever  saw  a boy  grow  up  in  idle- 
ness that  did  not  make  a shiftless  vagabond  when  he 
became  a man,  unless  he  had  a fortune  left  him  to 
keep  up  appearances  ? The  great  mass  of  thieves, 
criminals  and  paupers  have  come  to  what  they  are  by 
being  brought  up  in  idleness.  Those  who  constitute 
the  business  part  of  the  community — those  who  make 


TRAMPS.  487 

our  great  and  useful  men — were  taught  in  their  boy- 
hood to  be  industrious. 

A young  man  was  recently  found  in  the  Mersey, 
drowned.  On  a paper  found  in  his  pocket  was 
written:  “A  wasted  life.  Do  not  ask  anything  about 
me ; drink  was  the  cause.  Let  me  die ; let  me  rot.” 
Within  a week  the  coroner  of  Liverpool  received  over 
two  hundred  letters  from  fathers  and  mothers  all  over 
England,  asking  for  a description  of  the  young  man. 

Some  curious  incidents  now  and  then  occur,  con- 
nected with  the  lives  of  tramps.  It  would  be  a matter 
of  great  surprise,  could  the  history  be  written  of  all 
those  who  make  begging  a “trade”  and  actually  suc- 
ceed in  accumulating  large  sums  of  money  in  this  way. 
A ragged  old  tramp  was  arrested  at  Buffalo.  When 
taken  to  the  police  station  and  subjected  to  the  cus- 
tomary search,  he  resisted  furiously.  His  reason  was 
apparent  when  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty- 
two  dollars  in  bonds  and  money  was  found  sewed  up 
in  his  clothes. 

A tramp  asked  for  a meal  at  a residence  in  Colum- 
bus, Ohio.  The  head  of  the  family  said,  “ Get  along, 
or  I’ll  set  the  dog  on  you.”  The  tramp  bet  that  with- 
in five  minutes  he  would  be  invited  to  eat  of  the  best 
that  the  house  afforded.  He  won,  too,  because  he 
proved  that  he  was  a wandering  son  returned. 

The  Christian  pulpit  has  not  been  exempt  from  the 
depredations  of  these  shiftless  human  beings.  Many 
a poor,  suffering  congregation  have  been  bored  and 
wearied  with  the  driveling  efforts  of  some  wandering- 
tramp,  who  wearied  of  honest  and  earnest  toil  at  home, 


488 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


has  started  out  to  draw  subsistence  from  the  flowers 
by  the  wayside. 

“Of  all  the  agencies  of  destruction  to  which  our 
churches  are  exposed,  perhaps  none  do  their  work  so 
swifty  and  thoroughly  as  unprincipled  men  calling 
themselves  ministers.” 

One  of  the  characteristics  of  the  persistent  tramp 
is  his  rebellious  affirmation  of  the  afflicting  hand  of 
Providence.  He  thinks  that  God  and  man  are  arrayed 
against  him  and  that  his  various  afflictions  are  not  at 
all  the  result  of  his  own  wrong  doing.  He  ever  has  a 
flippant  reason  for  the  course  he  pursues.  A well- 
known  writer  has  said:  “Afflictions  sent  by  Providence 
melt  the  constancy  of  the  noble-minded  but  confirm 
the  obduracy  of  the  vile.  The  same  furnace  that 
hardens  clay  liquefies  gold ; and  in  the  strong  manifesta- 
tions of  divine  power  Pharaoh  found  his  punishment, 
but  David  his  pardon.” 


(©OWAI^DS. 

Cowards  die  many  times  before  their  deaths; 

The  valiant  never  taste  of  death  but  once. — Shakespeare. 

Who  has  a word  to  say  in  praise  of  cowardice? 
Does  not  the  universal  conscience  condemn  it?  The 
coward  is  mean  and  unmanly.  He  has  not  the  cour 
age  to  stand  by  his  opinions.  He  is  ready  to  become 
a slave.  “Half  of  our  virtue,”  says  Homer,  “is  torn 
away  when  a man  becomes  a slave;”  and  “the  other 


COWARDS.  489 

half,”  added  Dr.  Arnold,  “goes  when  he  becomes  a 
slave  broken  loose.” 

Yet  it  requires  courage  to  deal  with  a coward.  A 
foolish  young  man  who  quarreled  with  Sir  Philip 
Sydney,  and  tried  to  provoke  him  to  fight,  went  so  far 
as  to  spit  in  his  face. 

“Young  man,”  said  Sir  Philip,  “if  I could  as  easily 
wipe  your  blood  from  my  conscience  as  I can  wipe 
this  insult  from  my  face,  I would  this  moment  take 
your  life.”  This  was  noble  courage.  It  is  a lesson 
for  every  one;  how  to  bear  and  how  to  forbear. 

As  to  moral  courage,  I have  very  rarely  met  with 
the  two  o’clock  in  the  morning  courage.  I mean 
unprepared  courage,  that  which  is  necessary  on  an 
unexpected  occasion,  and  which,  in  spite  of  the  most 
unforeseen  events,  leaves  full  freedom  of  judgment  and 
decision.  Any  coward  can  fight  a battle  when  he’s 
sure  of  winning,  but  give  me  the  man  who  has  pluck 
to  fight  when  he’s  sure  of  losing. 

An  unfortunate  young  man  who  felt  that  his  life 
was  no  use  whatever  in  this  world,  determined  publicly 
to  put  an  end  to  it.  The  man  had  cultivated  his  intel- 
lect, but  nothing  more.  He  had  no  idea  of  duty,  virtue 
or  religion.  Being  a materialist,  he  feared  no  here- 
after. He  advertised  that  he  would  give  a lecture  and 
then  shoot  himself  through  the  head.  The  admission  to 
the  lecture  and  the  sensational  conclusion  was  a dol- 
lar a head.  The  amount  realized  was  to  be  appropri- 
ated partly  to  his  funeral  expenses,  and  the  rest  was  to 
be  invested  in  purchasing  the  works  of  three  London 
materialists,  which  were  to  be  placed  in  the  town 


490 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


library.  The  hall  was  crowded.  A considerable  sum 
of  money  was  realized.  After  he  had  concluded  his 
lecture  he  drew  his  Derringer  and  shot  his  brains  out 
according  to  his  promise.  What  a conclusion  of  an 
earthly  life  — rushing  red-handed  into  the  presence  of 
his  God! 

Perhaps  this  horrible  deed  was  the  result  of  vanity, 
or  perhaps  to  make  a sensation.  His  name  would  be 
in  the  papers.  Everybody  would  be  shouting  about 
his  courage.  But  it  was  cowardice  far  more  than 
courage.  It  must  have  been  disappointed  vanity. 
Sheridan  once  said,  “They  talk  of  avarice,  lust,  ambi- 
tion, as  great  passions.  It  is  a mistake ; they  are 
little  passions.  Vanity  is  the  great  commanding 
passion  of  all.  This  excites  the  most  heroic  deeds, 
and  impels  to  the  most  dreadful  crimes.  Save  me 
from  this  passion,  and  I can  defy  the  others.  They 
are  mere  urchins,  but  this  is  a giant.” 

General  Paoli  once  observed  to  Dr.  Johnson  that 
“ men  who  have  no  opportunity  of  showing  courage  as 
to  things  in  this  life  take  death  and  futurity  as  objects 
on  which  to  display  it.”  Johnson  answered,  “That  is 
mighty  foolish  affectation.  Fear  is  one  of  the  passions 
of  human  nature,  of  which  it  is  impossible  to  divest  it. 
You  remember  that  the  Emperor  Charles  V,  when  he 
read  upon  the  tombstone  of  a Spanish  nobleman, 
‘ Here  lies  one  who  never  knew  fear,’  wittily  said, 
‘ Then  he  never  snuffed  a candle  with  his  fingers.’  ” 

Fear  is  the  root  of  many  a so-called  self-sacrifice. 
Weak  natures  find  it  so  much  easier  to  submit  to  a 
wrong-  than  to  fight  against  it.  Less  trouble  also. 

o o o 


COWARDS. 


491 


Many  lazy  women  prefer  getting  their  own  way  in  an 
underhand,  roundabout  fashion,  by  humoring  the  weak- 
nesses of  the  men  they  belong  to,  instead  of  honor- 
ably and  openly  resisting  them,  when  resistance  be- 
comes necessary.  That  is,  using  the  right — the  only 
honest  “right” — a woman  has,  of  asserting  her  inde- 
pendent existence  before  God  and  men  as  a responsi- 
ble human  being,  who  will  neither  be  forced  to  do 
wrong  herself,  nor  to  see  another  do  wrong,  if  she  can 
help  it. 

Yet  how  many  women  not  only  err  themselves,  but 
aid  and  abet  error,  knowing  it  to  be  such — under  the 
compulsion  of  that  weak  fear  of  man,  which  is  called, 
or  miscalled,  “ conjugal  obedience.” 

Miserable  people  are  invariably  weak  and  cowardly 
people. 

Oh,  well  for  him  whose  will  is  strong, 

He  suffers,  but  he  will  not  suffer  long; 

He  suffers,  but  he  cannot  suffer  wrong.” 

Of  course  not,  because  his  firm  will  must  in  time 
shake  off  any  suffering ; and  because  no  amount  of  ex- 
ternally inflicted  evil  is  to  be  compared  to  the  evil 
which  a man  inflicts  upon  himself,  by  feebleness  of 
purpose,  by  cowardly  non-resistance  to  oppression,  and 
by  a general  uncertainty  of  aims  or  acts. 

He  who  sees  the  right  and  cannot  follow  it ; who 
loves  all  things  noble,  yet  dare  not  fight  against  things 
ignoble  in  himself  or  others  ; who  is  haunted  by  a high 
ideal  of  what  he  wishes  to  be,  yet  is  forever  falling 
short  of  it,  and  tortured  by  the  consciousness  that  he  does 
fall  short  of  it,  and  that  his  friends  are  judging  him,  not 
unjustly,  by  what  he  is  rather  than  by  what  he  vainly 


492 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


aims  at  being — this  man  is,  necessarily,  one  of  the  un- 
happiest  creatures  living.  One  of  the  most  harmful, 
too,  since  you  can  be  on  your  guard  against  the  down- 
right villain,  but  the  aesthetic  evil-doer,  the  theoreti- 
cally good  and  practically  bad  man,  who  has  lofty  as- 
pirations without  performances,  virtuous  impulses  and 
no  persistence — against  such  a one  you  have  no 
weapons  to  use. 

He  disarms  your  resentment  by  exciting  your  pity, 
is  forever  crying,  “ Quarter,  quarter  !”  and  though  you 
feel  that  he  deserves  none,  that  his  weakness  has  in- 
jured yourself  and  others  as  much  as  any  wickedness, 
still,  out  of  pure  compassion,  you  sheath  your  right- 
eous sword  and  let  him  escape  unpunished.  Up  he 
rises,  fresh  as  ever,  and  pursues  his  course,  always  sin- 
ning and  always  repenting,  yet  claiming  to  be  judged 
not  by  the  sin  but  the  penitence  ; continually  and  ob- 
stinately miserable,  yet  blind  to  the  fact  that  half  his 
misery  is  caused  by  himself  alone. 

Nothing  sinks  a young  man  into  low  company,  both 
of  women  and  men,  so  surely  as  timidity  and  diffidence 
of  himself.  If  he  thinks  that  he  shall  not,  he  may 
depend  upon  it  he  will  not,  please.  But  with  proper 
endeavors  to  please  and  a degree  of  persuasion  that 
he  shall,  it  is  almost  certain  that  he  will. 

The  following  paragraph  touches  upon  a phase  of 
cowardice  peculiarly  American,  and  applicable  to  other 
parts  of  our  country  besides  Chicago.  It  is  said  that 
New  England  is  rapidly  losing  its  native  population 
and  passing  largely  into  the  hands  of  a foreign  popula- 
tion, mainly  from  this  one  cause  alone : 


COWARDS. 


493' 


“Any  one  who  studies  the  marriage  license  reports, 
cannot  fail  to  observe  the  fewness  of  American  names 
in  that  interesting  record.  They  are  chiefly  Germans, 
Irish,  Scandinavian,  Bohemian,  Polish  and  Swede. 
The  census  of  1890  and  1900  will  have  a new  tale  to 
tell  about  the  national  complexion  of  the  population  of 
Chicago.  The  people  who  are  marrying  are,  more- 
over, of  the  working  classes,  as  may  be  inferred  from 
their  residences,  and  they  are,  as  a rule,  young — from 
twenty  to  twenty-five  years  of  age.  Why  do  not  a 
larger  proportion  of  the  young  Americans  marry? 
The  reason  is  not  far  to  seek.  “Young  America” 
spends  all  he  earns  on  fancy  clothes,  cigars,  amuse- 
ment tickets  and  drives.  He  is  able  to  save  nothing 
to  get  married  on.  He  could  not  furnish  a kitchen. 
The  young  lady  he  would  perhaps  wish  for  a wife  is 
like  himself  in  some  respects;  she  is  fond  of  fine  cos- 
tumes, rich  jewelry  and  expensive  entertainments ; 
she  must  have  a carriage  every  time  she  goes  to  a 
concert  or  the  theatre.  How  can  she  think  of  marry- 
ing a young  man  on  a salary  less  than  five  or  ten 
thousand  dollars  a year?  So  the  marriage  licenses 
issue  only  to  the  steady  folks  who  prefer  happiness  to 
gaudy  show.” 

Southern  tells  us  that  “ Lying’s  a certain  mark  of 
cowardice.”  Every  brave  man  shuns  more  than  death 
the  shame  of  lying. 

“ I am  in  the  habit,”  writes  a sea-captain,  “ of  read- 
ing the  Scriptures  to  the  crew.  I have  suffered  much 
lately  at  sea,  having  been  dismasted,  and  had  all  my 
boats  washed  away,  a little  to  the  westward  of  Cape 


494 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Clear.  I then  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  who  was 
trustworthy,  and  I found  the  most  unprincipled  men 
the  most  useless  and  the  greatest  cowards  in  this  awful 
gale,  and  the  Bible  men  altogether  the  reverse,  most 
useful  and  courageous.” 

The  following  reflections  upon  cowards  in  general 
will,  we  hope,  be  not  inappropriate:  A fawn  one  day 

said  to  her  mother,  “ Mother,  you  are  bigger  than  a 
dog,  and  swifter  and  better  winded,  and  you  have 
horns  to  defend  yourself;  how  is  it  that  your  are  so 
afra-id  of  the  hounds?”  She  smiled  and  said,  “All 
this,  my  child,  I know  full  well ; but  no  sooner  do  I 
hear  a dog  bark,  than  somehow  or  other,  my  heels 
take  me  off  as  fast  as  they  can  carry  me.” 

It  is  said  that  a tall,  stalwart  Indian  is  often  seen 
about  the  streets  of  Virginia  City,  dressed  in  calico, 
like  a squaw.  He  is  compelled  by  the  Piutes  to 
wear  woman’s  clothes  for  cowardice  shown  in  battle 
several  years  since.  If  all  of  us  who  have  been 
cowards  in  the  conflicts  of  life  were  compelled  to  wear 
calico,  what  a terrible  figure  prints  would  reach ! 

A coward  in  the  field  is  like  the  wise  man’s  fool, 
his  heart  is  at  his  mouth,  and  he  doth  not  know  what 
he  does  profess;  but  a coward  in  his  faith  is  like  a fool 
in  his  wisdom  ; his  mouth  is  in  his  heart,  and  he  dare 
not  profess  what  he  does  know.  I had  rather  not 
know  the  good  I should  do  than  not  do  the  good  I 
know.  It  is  better  to  be  beaten  with  few  stripes  than 
many. 


SPONGING. 


495 


Sponging. 

Some  cynic  has  said  that  the  world  is  divided  into 
two  classes,  the  Gitllor  and  the  Gullee.  By  this  he 
means  that  one  part  of  humanity  lives  by  sponging  on 
the  other  part.  And  when  we  see  so  large  a class  of 
people  who  make  their  living  by  devious  ways,  and 
who  belong  to  that  class  of  irresponsibles  that  cannot 
be  trusted  out  of  sight,  we  are  disposed  to  agree  with 
him. 

Young  men  abound,  both  in  city  and  country, 
whose  sole  aim  seems  to  be  to  get  something  for  no- 
thing; to  fasten  themselves  upon  some  one  who  can 
carry  them;  to  suck  their  substance,  like  the  leech, 
from  the  blood  of  honest  and  hard  working  men.  Nor 
is  it  men  alone  who  are  guilty  of  this  dastardly  practice. 
Good  looking,  apparently  well-bred  and  plausible 
women  swell  the  ranks  of  these  adventurers. 

These  people  are  always  loud  in  their  assertions 
of  willingness  to  work  hard ; fervent  in  their  profes- 
sions of  friendship;  urgent  in  their  desire  for  a fair 
trial;  plausible  in  their  excuses  for  failing  to  perform 
their  duties.  When  you  indignantly  remonstrate  with 
them  for  deceiving  you,  their  angry  denial  is  tempered 
with  grief  that  you  should  so  misunderstand  them,  and 
their  hints  of  power  to  injure  you,  if  not  utterly  crush 
you,  is  so  covered  with  honeyed  words  and  fair 
promises  as  to  lull  the  suspicion  even  of  a Solomon, 
and  win  gold  from  the  pockets  of  a miser 


496 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


This  class  of  spongers  includes  the  clerk  who 
neglects  to  attend  to  little  items  of  business  in  his 
employer’s  absence;  who  spends  time  in  business 
hours  to  gossip  and  flirt  with  his  lady  friends,  and 
rushes  through  his  allotted  work  in  a hasty  and  care- 
less manner,  that  he  may  attend  an  evening  soiree.  It 
includes  the  traveling  agent  who  keeps  his  hotel  room 
because  it  is  disagreeable  out-of-doors,  or  he  feels 
blue,  when  he  ought  to  be  on  the  street  driving  his 
business  with  enthusiasm.  It  includes  all  those  men 
who  occupy  positions  of  trust  and  confidence,  who  fail 
to  render  the  full  amount  of  service  for  which  they  are 
paid,  drawing  salaries  that  they  do  not  fully  earn.  It 
includes  the  hired  helper,  who  stands  about,  doing 
nothing,  waiting  to  be  set  at  work,  when  he  knows 
there  are  many  odds  and  ends  of  work  waiting  for  his 
hands;  but  he  is  too  careless  and  indifferent  to  think 
them  up  and  set  himself  at  them.  In  fact  sponging  is 
a fine  art  when  practiced  to  perfection. 

The  world  owes  you  a living,  does  it  ? Then  I will 
tell  you  what  I would  do.  I would  go  to  work  and 
collect  the  debt  as  soon  as  possible,  before  it  gets  out- 
lawed. I have  noticed  that  it  makes  very  little  differ- 
ence how  much  men  owe  me,  if  I do  not  attend  closely 
to  the  business  of  collecting.  There  are  men  who  owe 
me  enough  to  make  me  richer  than  I have  any  prospect 
of  being,  but  the  trouble  is,  they  do  not  seem  likely  to 
pay ; and  I am  of  the  opinion  that  the  world  is  very 
much  like  them  in  this  respect. 

I will  tell  you  what  I would  do,  if  I thought  the 
world  owed  me  a living.  I would  get  me  a hoe  and 


SPONGING. 


497 


go  out  somewhere  where  I could  get  a good  chance  at 
the  world,  and  commence  to  dig  and  drop  in  a few 
seeds  here  and  there,  as  I had  opportunity ; and  I 
think  if  the  world  really  owed  me  a living,  by  sticking 
close  to  it  with  my  hoe,  I could  collect  the  debt  in  the 
course  of  the  season.  This  seems  the  readiest  way  I 
can  think  of  to  collect  what  the  world  owes.  The  fact 
is,  there  are  so  many  creditors  of  this  kind  who  claim 
that  the  world  owes  them  a living,  that  some  of  them 
will  lose  their  debts  as  sure  as  fate,  if  they  do  not 
begin  early  and  work  hard  to  collect  their  claims.  The 
world  is  no  doubt  able  to  pay,  provided  it  can  have 
time.  It  generally  takes  the  world  about  six  months 
to  get  around  after  the  claims  are  presented  and  vigor- 
ously hoed  in;  but  the  man  who  delays  and  dallies 
about  the  matter  will  find  that,  while  the  world  may 
owe  him  a living,  other  people  will  have  collected  their 
claims  before  him,  and  there  will  be  nothing  left  when 
he  comes. 

“The  sluggard  will  not  plough  by  reason  of  the 
cold;  therefore  shall  he  beg  in  harvest,  and  have 
nothing.” 

o 

Take  your  hands  out  of  your  pockets,  young  man. 
You  are  losing  time.  Time  is  valuable.  People  feel 
it  at  the  other  end  of  the  line  when  death  is  near  and 
eternity  is  pressing  them  into  such  small  quarters,  for 
the  work  of  this  life  craves  hours,  days,  weeks,  years. 
If  those  at  this  end  of  the  line,  if  youth  with  its  abun- 
dance of  resources  would  only  feel  that  time  was  pre- 
cious. Time  is  a quarry.  Every  hour  may  be  a nugget 

of  gold.  It  is  time  in  whose  invaluable  moments  we 
32 


49§ 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


build  our  bridges,  spike  the  iron  rails  to  the  sleepers, 
launch  our  ships,  dig  our  canals,  run  our  factories. 
You  might  have  planted  twenty  hills  of  potatoes  while 
I have  been  talking  to  you,  young  man.  Take  your 
hands  out  of  your  pockets. 

The  world  wants  those  hands.  The  world  is  alive, 
wide  awake,  pushing,  struggling,  going  ahead.  The 
world  wants  those  hands.  You  need  not  take  them 
out  of  America.  They  can  find  a market  here  at  home. 
The  country  wants  those  hands,  selling  dry-goods  in 
New  York,  cradling  wheat  in  Minnesota,  raising  cotton 
in  Alabama,  weaving  cloth  in  Lowell,  picking  oranges 
in  Florida,  digging  gold  in  Colorado,  catching  mackerel 
from  the  deck  of  a down-east  fishing-smack.  Take 
your  hands  out  of  your  pockets. 

And  what  a laudable  thincr  it  is  to  meet  the  wants 

o 

of  society  and  do  your  best!  When  you  are  an  old 
man,  what  an  honorable  thing  your  hand  will  be ! 

Did  you  ever  think  of  the  dignity  investing  the 
wrinkled  hand  of  an  old  worker?  It  has  been  so  use- 
ful, lifted  so  many  burdens  and  wrought  in  such  honor- 
able service.  Who  wants  a hand  without  a character 
when  old  age  comes — a soft,  flabby,  do-nothing  hand  ? 

You  are  willing  to  work,  you  say,  but  can’t  find 
anything  to  do? 

Nothing  to  do!  Do  the  first  thing  that  comes 
along.  Saw  wood,  get  in  coal,  go  on  errands.  In 
short,  do  anything  honest  with  your  hands,  but  don’t 
let  them  loaf  in  your  pockets. 

The  loudest  beggars  are  often  the  least  needy. 
Sturdy  impudence  fattens  on  misdirected  charity,  while 


SPONGING. 


499 


honest  poverty  hides  in  garrets,  and  suffers  and  pines 
alone.  Christians  need  to  be  “ of  quick  understand- 
ing in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,”  and  full  of  ready,  yet  cau- 
tious sympathy  for  the  suffering  and  distress  which 
honest  people  often  strive  to  conceal.  Careless 
charity  may  give  a crust  or  a shilling  to  every  impor- 
tunate impostor  that  comes  to  the  door,  but  “ pure  re- 
ligion and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father  is  this, 
to  visit  the  fatherless  and  the  widows  in  their  affliction, 
and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world.” 
Personal  visitation  is  the  safeguard  against  deceptions 
and  shams,  and  this,  and  this  only,  enables  us  to  be 
sure  that  our  gifts  are  a blessing  rather  than  a curse. 

The  interesting  old  Flemish  city  of  Bruges,  which 
in  the  height  of  its  prosperity  had  a population  ol 
some  two  hundred  thousand  souls,  has,  since  the  san- 
guinary persecutions  under  Phillip  II,  been  gradually 
declining  in  wealth  and  numbers,  so  that  at  present 
it  does  not  possess  one-fourth  the  population  it  had 
three  centuries  ago.  The  population  of  the  city 
which  in  1869  numbered  forty-seven  thousand  six 
hundred  and  twenty-one,  fell  to  forty-four  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  fifty  in  1877.  The  lethargy  of  the 
inhabitants  is  attributed  to  the  effect  of  the  numberless 
convents  and  the  richly  endowed  benevolent  institu- 
tions, which,  by  perpetually  supplying  the  wants  of 
large  numbers  of  the  inhabitants  without  any  exertion 
on  their  part,  have  tended  to  deprive  them  of  that 
energy  and  spirit  of  independence  which  are  indis- 
pensable to  success  in  commercial  life. 

Some  rather  amusing  things  occur  in  connection 

o o 


500 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


with  this  undercurrent  of  sponging,  so  prevalent  in 
all  grades  of  modern  civilized  society.  “Will  you 
settle  that  old  account  of  yours  this  morning?  ” said  a 
colonist.  “No,  sir;  you  are  mistaken  in  the  man.  I 
am  not  one  of  the  old  settlers.”  But  this  incident  has 
its  reprehensible  as  well  as  amusing  side:  On  Thanks- 
giving day  the  thirty-five  girls  employed  by  a clothing 
firm  in  Boston  presented  the  two  members  of  the  firm 
with  a handsome  album  which  cost  twenty-two  dollars. 
The  presentation  ceremonies  occupied  about  half  an 
hour,  which  was  deducted  from  their  pay. 

Having  entered  a pew,  move  along ; be  sure  and 
move  along.  Do  not  block  up  the  end  of  the  pew  as 
if  you  did  not  intend  to  have  anybody  else  to  enter  it, 
or  as  if  you  were  holding  it  for  some  special  friends. 
Do  not  rise  to  let  others  in ; but  move  along  and  leave 
the  pew  invitingly  open,  so  that  they  will  know  they 
are  welcome.  If  a pew  holding  six  has  five  already  in 
it,  do  not  file  out  in  formal  procession  to  let  one  poor, 
scared  woman  go  to  the  further  end,  but  move  along 
and  let  her  sit  down  at  the  end  next  the  aisle.  It  is 
not  necessary  now  for  a stalwart  man  to  sit  at  the  end 
ready  to  rush  out  and  kill  Indians,  as  possibly  it  was 
once. 

A business  has  grown  into  formidable  dimensions, 
within  a few  years,  in  London,  which  it  is  impossible 
to  regard  with  complacency.  “ Private  Inquiry  ” offices 
a.e  an  invention  to  the  credit  of  which  England  is  per- 
fectly welcome  ; and  we  devoutly  hope  that  nobody  on 
this  side  of  the  water  will  either  copy  or  infringe  upon 
their  peculiarities.  They  employ  great  numbers  of 


SPONGING. 


501 


young  men  and  women,  nominally  engaged  as  house- 
servants,  clerks  and  so  on,  who  collect  and  communi- 
cate to  a central  office  all  the  gossip,  scandal  and  per- 
sonalities that  they  can  pick  up.  This  information,  in 
vast  quantities,  is  carefully  recorded  and  tabulated. 
This  information,  these  family  secrets  obtained  by  in- 
famous bribery  and  espionage,  are  for  sale.  To  these 
offices  a husband  or  a wife  proceeds  in  search  of  evi- 
dence, when  thinking  of  applying  for  a divorce. 
Thither,  also,  go  morbid  wretches  in  search  of  food  for 
jealousy ; partners  who  doubt  each  other ; employers 
who  suspect  their  agents. 

The  loafer  who  sponges  a meal  is  mean,  but  the 
man  who  grudges  to  pay  for  the  gospel  is  meaner. 
There  is  something,  best  called  “ religiosity,”  perhaps, 
which  takes  very  small  account  of  the  decalogue.  A 
kind  of  sniffling  sentimentality  called  Christianity,  by 
some,  goes  hand  in  hand  with  studied  rascality.  A 
man,  and  white  men  do  it,  sings  loud  and  blubbers  in 
“meetin,  ” while  he  is  deep  in  plots  to  rob  his  neighbors 
— not  with  false  keys,  but  with  false  weights,  false  rep- 
resentations, or  false  promises.  Our  same  stalwart 
defender  of  the  faith  crams  his  pockets  with  other  peo- 
ple’s money,  and  covers  it  all  with  his  splendid  services 
to  the  cause  of  truth.  Nor  is  this  the  worst  of  it; 
churches  and  Christians  knowing  of  the  deflections 
from  the  straight  paths  of  honesty,  condone  the 
offenses  because  the  offender  shoots  the  devil  with  gos- 
pel bullets,  or  scalps  some  other  sect  with  the  two- 
edged  sword.  Christianity  needs  to  be  cleared  of 
such  things.  An  unloading  of  the  dishonest  element 


502 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


would  give  Christianity  a standing  which  it  can  never 
have  while  religiosity  is  allowed  to  cover  a multitude 
of  sins.  Out  with  that  religion  which  does  not  make 
men  honest.  And  out  with  men  who  serve  the  Lord 
with  dirty  hands  and  pockets  crammed  with  other  peo- 
ples’ money.  Let  ministers  preach  on  honesty,  and 
faithfully  deliver  the  word  of  the  Lord  on  the  subject. 

As  a nation  of  professed  Christian  people,  we  of 
America  have  the  most  unenviable  of  reputations  as 
“spongers.”  We  sponge  at  home  and  we  sponge  abroad. 
The  individual  sponges  from  his  neighbor,  the  officer 
from  his  government,  and  the  government  in  return 
from  its  subjects.  Our  government  also,  has  practiced 
the  most  fraudulent  ways  in  obtaining  property  from 
other  peoples  and  governments  ; witness  our  transac- 
tions with  China,  and  with  the  aboriginal  races  of  our 
continent.  It  has  been  stated  on  high  authority,  that 
not  a single  treaty  has  been  made  with  the  Indians  by 
our  government  during  the  past  seventy  years  that 
we  have  not  shamelessly  broken.  The  following  para- 
graph taken  from  a late  work  may  not  be  out  of  place  : 

Men,  even  savage  men,  judge  each  other  by  their 
deeds,  not  by  their  words.  Professing  Christians,  like 
venders  of  bad  coinage,  often  expose  genuine  religion 
to  suspicion.  “ In  true  kindness  of  heart,”  said  Dr. 
Guthrie,  “ sweetness  of  temper,  open-handed  gener- 
osity, the  common  charities  of  life,  many  mere  men  of 
the  world  lose  nothing  by  comparison  with  such  pro- 
fessors; and  how  are  you  to  keep  the  world  from  say- 
ing, ‘Ah!  your  man  of  religion  is  no  better  than  others; 
nay,  he  is  sometimes  worse  ? ’ With  what  frightful 


SPONGING. 


503 


prominence  does  this  stand  out  in  the  never-to-be 
forgotten  answer  of  an  Indian  chief  to  the  missionary 
who  urged  him  to  become  a Christian.  The  plumed 
and  painted  savage  drew  himself  up  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  superior  rectitude,  and  with  indignation  quiver- 
ing on  his  lip  and  flashing  in  his  eye,  he  replied, 

‘ Christian  lie!  Christian  cheat!  Christian  steal,  drink, 
murder!  Christian  has  robbed  me  of  my  lands,  and 
slain  my  tribe!’  Adding,  as  he  haughtily  turned  away, 
‘The  Devil,  Christian!  I will  be  no  Christian!’  Many 
such  reflections  teach  us  to  be  careful  how  we  make  a 
religious  profession ! And  having  made  the  pro- 
fession, cost  what  it  may,  by  the  grace  of  God  let  us 
live  up  to  it,  and  act  it  out.” 

God  has  blessed  one  of  the  best  Baptist  laymen  in 
this  city  with  large  means  and  a warm  heart,  but  he 
has  the  everyday  business  cares  that  any  two  men 
might  account  sufficient  to  fill  every  working  hour. 
Yet  applications  to  help  this,  that  and  the  other  object 
flow  in  to  him  in  streams.  Persons  that  he  never  saw 
or  heard  of  walk  right  in,  to  get  money  for  one  sort  of 
thing  and  another.  In  one  day  last  week  nine  men, 
representing  churches  in  debt  pressed  their  claims 
upon  him,  and  besides  these,  four  earnest  solicitations 
of  the  same  sort  came  by  letter  ! What  name  is  to  be 
given  to  this  sort  of  thing  ? Is  it  an  abuse,  or  is  it  a 
virtue  ? If  it  is  a virtue,  we  hope  it  will  become  a 
means  of  grace  to  our  highly  respected  friend,  but  if 
it  is  an  abuse  of  all  that  is  good  in  propriety  and  self- 
respect,  ought  it  not  to  be  stopped,  or  be  so  modified 
that  the  number  of  drafts  proposed  to  be  made  on  a 


504 


WELL-STRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Christian  man’s  pocket  or  time  in  the  city  of  New 
York  shall  not  exceed  one  or  two  a day?  Thirteen  in 
one  day!  Submissively  to  endure  it  a man  needs 
nothing  short  of  the  faith  of  Abraham,  the  meekness 
of  Moses,  and  the  patience  of  Job  all  in  himself. 

If,  then,  the  man  who  sponges  upon  his  fellow-man 
is  so  despicable,  so  low,  how  much  worse  in  the  sight 
of  that  great  Benefactor,  who  is  the  greatest  of  friends, 
must  our  actions  appear,  who  take  from  his  hands 
time,  talents,  money,  happiness,  and  render  little  or 
nothing  in  return  ? How  must  we  appear  to  the 
angels  and  the  Heavenly  Host,  who  are  thus  con- 
stantly sponging  in  spiritual  matters,  taking  all  we  can 
get,  but  giving  little,  if  anything,  back. 

Shining. 

An  old  writer  says  : “ The  road  to  hell  is  paved  with  good  resolutions.” 

Every  man  must  work  at  somethiiig.  The  moment  he  stops  working  for 
himself  the  devil  employs  him. 

The  genius  who  is  to  invent  a practical  substitute  for  work  has  not  yet  been 
born  and  never  will  be. 

Procrastination  has  been  called  the  thief  — the 
thief  of  time.  I wish  he  was  no  more  than  a thief. 
He  is  a murderer,  and  that  which  he  kills  is  not  time 
merely,  but  the  immortal  soul. 

The  reason  why  some  men  get  along  so  slowly  in  this 
world  is  because  they  spend  two  thirds  of  their  time 
talking  about  what  they  are  going  to  do,  and  during 
the  other  third  they  have  to  sleep. 


SHIRKING. 


505 


God  does  not  want  lazy  men  to  do  his  work.  If 
you  hope  ever  to  be  put  at  some  grand  work 
worthy  of  what  you  think  your  talents  are,  you  must 
keep  busy  doing  something  which  is  useful.  Loafing 
is  contemptible  in  any  view,  and  religious  loafing  is  the 
most  contemptible  of  all.  There  is  no  one  who  can- 
not find  as  much  as  he  can  do  if  he  will  but  do  what 
his  hands  find  to  do — not  what  his  eyes  are  looking 
for  away  off  yonder  in  the  distance. 

There  is  a great  work  for  to-day.  What  we  do  will 
stay  done,  and  will  tell  grandly  on  the  ages  to  come. 
What  we  leave  undone  will  breed  confusion  and  disas- 
ter, and  our  children  and  children’s  children  will  justly 
hold  us  responsible  for  not  laying  hold  on  the  oppor- 
tunities afforded  us.  Worship  is  easier  than  obedi- 
ence. Men  are  ever  readier  to  serve  the  priest  than 
to  obey  the  prophet,  and  sacerdotalism  flourished  in 
Israel,  while  prophecy  decayed  and  died. 

It  is  impossible  for  a man  to  be  careless  in  his 
business  affairs,  or  unmindful  of  his  business  obliga- 
tions, without  being  weak  or  rotten  in  his  personal 
obligations.  Show  me  a man  who  never  pays  his 
notes  when  they  are  due,  and  who  shuns  the  payment 
of  his  bills  when  it  is  possible,  and  does  both  things  as 
a habit,  and  I shall  show  you  a man  whose  moral  char- 
acter is  beyond  all  question  bad.  We  have  had  great 
men  whose  business  habits  were  simply  scandalous — 
who  never  paid  their  bills  unless  urged  and  worried, 
and  who  expended  for  their  personal  gratification 
every  cent  of  money  they  could  lay  their  hands  upon. 
These  delinquencies  have  been  apologized  for  as 


5°6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


among-  the  eccentricities  of  genius,  or  as  the  unmind- 
fulness of  small  affairs  which  naturally  attends  all 
greatness  of  intellect  and  intellectual  efforts ; but  the 
world  has  been  too  easy  with  them  altogether.  I 
could  name  great  men — and  the  names  of  some  of 
them  arise  before  the  readers  of  this  essay — who  are 
atrociously  dishonest.  I care  not  how  many  amiable 
and  admirable  traits  they  possess.  They  are  dis- 
honest and  untrustworthy  in  their  business  relations, 
and  that  simple  fact  condemns  them. 

He  who  puts  off  the  performance  of  duty  shows 
that  he  has  no  heart  to  perform  it.  Cultivate  the 
habit  of  promptly  doing  what  conscience  calls  thee  to 
do.  The  opposite  habit  of  putting  off  and  shirking 
comes  by  nature,  like  weeds  in  our  gardens ; and  if 
the  soil  remains  unbroken  by  good  efforts,  will  over- 
shadow and  kill  out  all  the  good  within  us.  As  the 
little  mountain  brook,  gurgling  over  its  stony  bed,  may 
be  easily  turned  aside  to  a new  channel ; so  the  selfish 
love  of  ease  that  first  prompts  to  shirk  a duty  may  be 
turned  into  the  channel  of  pleasure  at  duties  well 
performed.  But  the  mountain  stream,  as  it  broadens 
into  a mighty  river,  is  no  easier  turned  aside  than  the 
wretched  habit  of  shirking,  when  once  it  takes  posses- 
sion of  a human  soul. 

There  is  a striking  moral  in  Lessing’s  fable  of  the 
“ Dying  Wolf.”  A wolf  lay  at  his  last  gasp,  and  was 
reviewing  his  past  life.  “ It  is  true,  ” he  said,  “ I am  a 
sinner,  but  yet  I hope  not  one  of  the  greatest ; I have 
done  evil,  but  I have  also  done  much  good.  Once  I 
remember  a bleating  lamb,  that  had  strayed  from  the 


SHIRKING. 


507 


flock,  came  so  near  me  that  I might  easily  have 
throttled  it ; but  I did  it  no  harm  ! ” “I  can  testify  to 
that,  ” said  his  friend  the  fox,  who  was  helping  him  to 
prepare  for  death,  “ I remember  perfectly  all  the  cir- 
cumstances. It  was  just  at  the  time  when  you  were 
so  dreadfully  choked  with  that  bone  in  your  throat.” 
A missionary  meeting  had  been  held  in  some  town 
in  Canada,  and  into  this  town,  to  the  meeting,  trudged 
a farmer  and  his  son  Sammy.  It  was  a walk  of  some 
seven  miles,  after  a long  day’s  work,  too  ; but  the  far- 
mer did  not  mind.  His  heart  was  given  to  the  Lord, 
and  he  had  made  many  a sacrifice  to  send  the  good 
news  of  a Saviour  to  others.  During  the  meeting  the 
speakers  pleaded  the  necessity  for  more  money  and 
more  helpers  in  the  Lord’s  work.  The  farmer’s  heart 
was  stirred;  even  Sammy,  who  did  not  love  Jesus,  felt 
a little  moved  and  uneasy. 

The  meeting  ended,  and  their  walk  home  was  in 
silence  for  more  than  a mile.  Then  the  farmer  said : 
“ Sammy,  I think — no,  I will ■ — give  up  coffee  !” 
Sammy’s  answer  was  a short  grunt ; he  did  not 
like  this  giving  up  at  all. 

Two  miles  passed  in  silence,  then  the  farmer  broke 
it  by  asking — 

“ What’ll  you  give  up,  Sammy?  ” 

A very  uncomfortable  question  for  Sammy,  meet- 
ing with  a shorter  grunt.  The  darkness  hid  the  signs 
of  Sammy’s  inward  conflict. 

Just  before  they  got  home,  Sammy  spoke — 

“ Father,  I’ve  found  something  to  give  up.” 


5°8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


“That’s  right,  my  boy,”  heartily  responded  the 
farmer.  “ What  is  it  ? ” 

“ W ell,  I guess  I can  give  up  pickled  mackerel , 
’cause  I don’t  like  it  a bit.” 

Alas!  alas!  what  a large  number  of  “ Sammys  ” 
there  are  in  the  world!  They  give  unto  the  Lord  what 
costs  them  nothing,  and  it  takes  them  a deal  of  time  to 
find  out  anything  they  like  little  enough  to  spare  for 
him.  What  are  you  giving  up  for  Jesus  ? And  which 
are  you,  Sammy  or  the  farmer? 

The  great  difficulty  with  Christian  manhood  is,  that 
it  is  too  much  deformed.  Some  are  without  arms  ; 
they  have  never  helped  one  over  the  rugged  places  in 
life.  Some  are  without  feet ; they  have  never  gone  an 
inch  out  of  their  way  to  serve  others.  Some  are  voice- 
less ; they  have  never,  even  by  word,  encouraged  any 
one  who  was  cast  down.  Some  are  deaf;  they  have 
never  listened  to  the  voice  of  suffering.  Some  are 
without  hearts  ; they  do  not  know  what  sympathy  and 
generous  feeling  are.  What  an  appearance  a proces- 
sion of  such  characters  would  make,  if  they  could  be 
seen  as  they  are  on  the  street!  What  an  appearance 
a crippled  Christian  makes  in  the  light  of  heaven ! 

Talleyrand,  the  prince  of  French  diplomatists,  long 
denied  the  doctrine  of  deathless  retribution  as  the 
result  of  a life  of  sin.  But  as  he  confronted  things 
eternal,  he  said  to  his  kingly  friend,  Louis  Philippe, 
“ Sire,  I suffer  already  the  pangs  of  the  damned.” 

These  so-called  Christians  have  always  plenty  of 
arguments  on  their  side  ; especially  the  parable  of  the 
Prodigal  Son,  and  the  “joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner 


SHIRKING. 


509 


that  repenteth.”  But  they  forget  that  the  prodigal 
when  his  father  met  him  was  no  longer  a prodigal : he 
had  forsaken  his  evil  ways,  never  to  return  to  them 
more.  Also  that  the  “joy”  is  supposed  to  be  over  a 
repentant  sinner,  not  a sinner  who  still  remains  in  sin. 
Christ,  in  his  divinest  charity,  never  does  more  for  of- 
fenders than  to  pardon  them  until  they  cease  to  offend. 
“Go,”  he  says;  “go  and  sin  no  more,  lest  a worse 
thing  happen  unto  thee.”  But  for  those  who  continue 
to  sin,  there  is,  even  according  to  the  quoters  of  Holy 
Writ  — often  so  egregiously  twisted  and  misap- 
plied— a worse  thing  ; even  as  in  the  parable  of  the 
fig-tree : “ Cut  it  down  ; why  cumbereth  it  the  ground?” 
And  sometimes  the  kindest,  wisest,  most  Christian  act 
is — to  let  it  be  cut  down. 

For  instance,  everyone  who  gives  money  to  a con- 
firmed drunkard  or  profligate,  thereby  encouraging 
him  in  his  vices  ; every  one  who,  for  any  reason,  how- 
ever compassionate,  speaks  what  is  called  “ a good 
word  ” for  a person  whom  he  knows  to  be  bad,  condones 
sin,  and  is  guilty  of  the  result  that  follows.  His  lazy 
laxity  allows  these  cumberers  of  the  ground  to  take 
the  life  from  wholesome  trees.  And,  even  as  a man 
who  sits  with  his  hands  folded,  and  allows  his  humble 
neighbors  to  wallow  in  dirt  like  pigs,  saying,  “ I can’t 
help  it ; it  is  not  my  affair,”  may  one  day  have  to  see 
ghastly  fever,  bred  in  those  back  slums,  stalk  in  at  his 
own  front  door,  and  carry  off  his  best-beloved  child  ; so 
anyone  who  laughs  at  error  as  mere  “folly,”  and  puts 
a plaster  upon  ugly  sin,  connives  dangerously  at  both. 
He  has  shirked  what  was  unpleasant ; he  has  been  too 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


510 

lazy  to  take  trouble  ; he  has  done  his  benevolence  in 
the  easiest  way.  He  may  yet  have  to  pay  for  his  mis- 
taken mercy  by  being  ground  under  the  ever-moving 
wheel  of  an  unerring  justice  ; justice  which,  though 
it  does  not  always  reward,  assuredly  knows  the  way  to 
punish. 

Many  Christians  would  like  to  labor  for  the  salva- 
tion of  men  if  they  could  do  it  on  a magnificent  scale ; 
if  they  could  have  a great  tabernacle  with  five  thousand 
people  inside,  and  as  many  more  trying  to  get  in  ; if  they 
could  preach  like  Apollos,  and  sing  like  David  with  his 
harp  of  solemn  sound ; if  they  could  spread  a big  net  like 
Simon  Peter,  and  haul  in  a hundred  and  fifty-three 
great  fishes  at  once,  and  have  the  story  reported  in  the 
newspapers  and  proclaimed  upon  the  housetops,  they 
would  be  very  well  content.  But  they  are  not  willing 
to  toil  in  obscurity,  and  patiently  wait  for  the  Master 
to  reveal  their  work  in  the  last  day.  Jesus  never 
shirked  a duty,  nor  sought  for  thanks  from  those  he 
healed. 

CQisei^ies  of  Sin. 

Fancy  runs  most  furiously  when  a guilty  conscience  drives  it. 

Thomas  Fuller. 

The  following  words,  as  they  fell  from  the  lips  of 
one  of  the  most  gifted  men  the  world  ever  knew,  can 
but  feebly  portray  the  vividness  of  his  picture,  pre- 
sented to  the  ears  of  his  hearers  : 

“ In  executing  a scene  descriptive  of  its  abomina- 
tions, methinks  the  acute  conception  of  fancy,  and  the 


MISERIES  OF  SIN. 


51  I 


ioftiest  flights  of  the  imagination,  would  be  inadequate 
to  the  task.  Could  we  change  the  mighty  ocean  to 
paint,  transform  every  stick  into  a brush,  make  every 
man  an  artist,  every  star  a scaffold,  and  the  out- 
stretched, boundless  sky  a canvas ; could  we  take  the 
dismal  clouds  for  shade,  the  frightful  lightnings  for 
tinge,  the  midnight’s  darkness  for  drapery  and  gloom  ; 
could  we  use  the  doleful  winds  for  sighs,  the  countless 
drops  of  rain  for  tears  ; the  broken  music  of  the  howl- 
ing storm  for  wails,  for  shrieks  and  cries,  the  earthquake’s 
violent  shock  for  agonizing  pain,  and  the  long,  loud 
rumbling  thunder  for  piteous,  dying  groans  ; and  could 
we,  with  pious  Joshua,  command  the  glowing  sun  to 
stand  still  in  the  west,  and  the  full,  blushing  moon  in 
the  east,  and  there  wait  while  laboring  artists  dash  the 
amazing  horrors  of  sin  on  the  expanding  sheet,  to 
delineate  all  its  loathsome,  horrible  and  everlasting 
effects,  would  quite  exhaust  the  ocean,  wear  out  every 
instrument,  tire  every  artist,  and  more  than  fill  heaven's 
immeasurable  blue  from  pole  to  pole.” 

Ages  of  unutterable  woe  shall  have  passed,  and  the 
agonizing  shrieks  of  the  lost  are  reverberating  through 
the  fiery  vaults  of  hell : “ Tell  me,  ye'  companions  of 
iniquity,  how  long  shall  I endure  this  torture?  ” Eter- 
nity! eternity!  “Tell  me,  thou  spirit  of  my  sainted 
mother,  thou,  whose  prayers,  fervent  and  anxious,  I 
disregarded,  whose  counsels  I rejected,  how  long,  O 
how  long  shall  I suffer  this  dreadful  punishment  ? 
Always  consuming,  but  never  consumed,  always  dying, 
but  never  to  die  !’’  Eternityl  eternity!  eternity! 

Millions  of  years  shall  again  have  inflicted  their 


512 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


allotted  portion  of  misery,  and  the  wailings  of  despair 
and  supplications  are  yet  reverberating:  “Tell  me,  0 
God,  whose  love  I spurned,  whose  wrath  I willfully 
enkindled,  is  there  no  mercy  in  heaven  ? All,  all  I ask 
is  annihilation.”  “Ye  knew  your  duty,  but  ye  did 
it  not ! ” is  the  response  of  Him  who  has  promul- 
gated to  the  world,  “The  wages  of  sin  is  eternal 
death.” 

Sin  is  like  a river  with  a strong  current,  and  the 
farther  you  go  down  stream,  the  less  likely  it  is  that 
you  will  ever  return.  To  sin  against  knowledge  is  a 
much  greater  crime  than  an  ignorant  trespass  ; as  the 
crime  which  is  capable  of  no  excuse  is  more  heinous 
than  the  fault  which  admits  of  a tolerable  plea.  Sin 
may  be  defined  as  the  mistaken  pursuit  of  happiness. 
Transgressions  of  the  Divine  law  constitute  not  merely 
the  sin  and  sorrow  of  the  individual,  but  the  sin  and 
sorrow  of  nations.  Outside  of  Christianity,  neither 
prosperity  nor  freedom  will  ever  be  lasting. 

A single  evil  will  expand  itself  and  usurp  the  place 
of  much  good.  A tooth  is  a little  thing,  but  its  aching 
shuts  out  the  light  of  sun  and  stars,  the  songs  of  birds, 
the  joy  of  a household,  the  wealth  of  a continent,  the 
power  of  a kingdom.  A guilty  conscience  drowns  the 
joy  of  the  most  fortunate  man,  and  plunges  in  misery 
the  one  who  otherwise  would  be  the  happiest  of  mor- 
tals. 

Every  commission  of  sin  introduces  into  the  soul  a 
certain  degree  of  hardness,  and  an  aptness  to  continue 
in  that  sin.  Sin  taken  into  the  soul  is  like  a liquor 
poured  into  a vessel ; so  much  as  it  fills  it  also  sea- 


MISERIES  OF  SIN. 


513 


sons.  The  touch  and  tincture  go  together.  So  that, 
although  the  body  of  the  liquor  be  poured  out  again, 
yet  still  it  leaves  that  tang  behind  it  which  makes  the 
vessel  fitter  for  that  than  any  other.  In  like  manner 
every  act  of  sin  strangely  transforms  and  works  over 
the  soul  to  its  own  likeness. 

Every  commission  of  sin  imprints  upon  the  soul  a 
further  disposition  and  proneness  to  sin,  as  the  second, 
third  and  fourth  degrees  of  heat  are  more  easily  in- 
troduced than  the  first.  Drinking  both  quenches  the 
present  thirst  and  provokes  it  for  the  future.  When 
the  soul  is  beaten  from  its  first  station,  and  the  mounds 
and  outworks  of  virtue  are  once  broken  down,  it  be- 
comes quite  another  thing  from  what  it  was  before. 
In  one  single  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  when  the 
act  is  over,  yet  the  relish  remains  ; and  the  remem- 
brance of  the  first  repast  is  an  easy  allurement  to  the 
second.  One  visit  is  enough  to  begin  an  acquaintance; 
and  this  point  is  gained  by  it,  that  when  the  visitant 
comes  acrain  he  is  no  more  a stranqer. 

Nine  tenths  of  the  vices  and  miseries  of  the  world 
proceed  from  idleness.  Without  'Cvork  there  can  be 
no  active  progress  in  human  welfare.  No  more  in- 
sufferable misery  can  be  conceived  than  that  which 
must  follow  incommunicable  privileges.  Imagine  an 
idle  man  condemned  to  perpetual  youth,  while  all 
around  him  decay  and  die.  How  sincerely  would  he 
call  upon  death  for  deliverance ! 

But  conscience  is  not  dead.  We  cannot  dig  a 
grave  for  it,  and  tell  it  to  lie  there.  We  may  trample 
it  under  foot,  but  it  still  lives.  Every  sin  or  crime  has, 


5H 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


at  the'  moment  of  its  perpetration,  its  own  avenging 
angel.  We  cannot  blind  our  eyes  to  it  or  stop  our 
ears  to  it.  “ ’Tis  conscience  that  makes  cowards  of  us 
all.”  There  comes  a day  of  judgment,  even  in  this 
world,  when  it  stands  up  confronting  us,  and  warning 
us  to  return  to  the  life  of  well-domm 

o 

Bees  kill  themselves  by  stinging.  Sinners  do  like- 
wise. There  is  many  a man  in  the  world  who  never 
committed  but  one  act  of  folly,  and  who  won’t  get  to 
the  end  of  it  until  he  dies.  Evil  society  is  the  death 
of  piety. 

He  that  hath  tasted  the  bitterness  of  sin  will  fear 
to  commit  it ; and  he  that  hath  felt  the  sweetness  of 
mercy  will  fear  to  offend  it.  There  are  three  things 
which  the  true  Christian  desires  with  respect  to  sin  : 
Justification,  that  it  may  not  condemn;  sanctification, 
that  it  may  not  reign  ; and  glorification,  that  it  may 
not  be. 

Perhaps  the  cause  of  more  misery  than  any  other 
one  thing  in  this  world  is  the  curse  of  drunkenness. 
But  there  are  so  many  grades  in  peoples’  estimations 
of  what  constitutes  drunkenness,  that  it  would  not  be 
any  safer  to  put  the  limit  as  to  where  drunkenness 
begins,  after  the  first  drink  is  taken,  than  to  state 
where  it  ends,  this  side  of  the  grave. 

Dr.  Guthrie  says:  “I  have  heard  the  .wail  of  chil- 
dren crying  for  bread,  and  the  mother  had  none  to 
give  them.  I have  seen  the  babe  pulling  breasts  as 
dry  as  if  the  starved  mother  had  been  dead.  I have 
known  a father  turn  a step-daughter  into  the  street  at 
night,  bidding  the  sobbing  girl  who  bloomed  into 


MISERIES  OF  SIN. 


515 


womanhood  earn  her  bread  as  others  were  doing.  I 
have  bent  over  the  foul  pallet  of  a dying  lad  to  hear 
him  whisper,  and  his  father  and  mother,  who  were 
sitting  half  drunk  by  the  fireside,  had  pulled  the 
blankets  off  his  body  to  sell  them  for  drink.  I have 
seen  the  children  blanched  like  plants  growing  in  a 
cellar — for  weeks  they  never  breathed  a mouthful  of 
fresh  air,  for  want  of  rags  to  cover  their  nakedness ; 
and  they  lived  in  continual  terror  of  a drunken  father 
or  mother  cominor  home  to  beat  them.  I do  not  recol- 

o 

lect  of  ever  seeing  a mother  in  these  wretched  dwell- 
ings dandling  her  infant,  or  hearing  the  little  creature 
crow  or  laugh.  These  are  some  of  drink’s  doings ; 
but  nobody  can  know  the  misery  I suffered  amid  those 
scenes  of  wretchedness,  woe,  want  and  sin.” 

Only  a few  years  ago,  the  mistress  of  one  of  the 
finest  mansions  in  a suburban  town,  after  ruining  her- 
self and  breaking  the  heart  of  her  husband,  and  scat- 
tering her  fortune,  was  lost  to  her  family  for  years ; 
and  was  finally  restored  to  them — a poor  comfort — 
from  the  Boston  police  court,  whither  she  had  been 
taken  as  a vagrant  and  a common  drunkard! 

Within  a year,  the  granddaughter  of  one  of  our 
presidents,  once  a beauty  and  a belle  in  Washington, 
long  estranged  from  and  finally  lost  by  her  family, 
died  in  the  garret  of  a wretched  tenement  house  in 
Sullivan  street,  New  York.  Is  there  no  danger  for 
our  girls,  as  well  as  for  our  boys  ? 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


516 


E?IiEASUl^ES  OE  E?IETY. 

Oh,  who  could  brave  life’s  stormy  doom, 

Did  not  Thy  wing  of  love 

Come  brightly  wafting  through  the  gloom 
Our  prayer  branch  from  above  ? 

Then  sorrow,  touched  by  Thee,  grows  bright 
With  more  than  rapture’s  ray ; 

As  darkness  shows  us  worlds  of  light 

We  never  saw  by  day.  Thomas  Moore. 

“ Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart  for  they  shall  see 
God.”  This  text  should  be  one  of  the  guiding  mot- 
toes of  our  lives.  Pure  in  heart  means  a great  deal. 
It  means  such  a hatred  of  everything  impure  that  not 
even  wicked  thoughts  will  be  admitted.  Or  if  they 
find  their  way  in  for  a moment,  they  will  not  be  allowed 
to  remain.  The  promise  is  they  shall  “see  God,”  that 
does  not  mean  in  the  next  life  only,  but  in  this  world : 
the  pure  in  heart  learn  to  know  a deep,  rich  meaning 
concerning  things  hidden  to  others.  Blessed  indeed 
are  they  who  follow  him  so  closely  that  they  can  see 
God! 

Let  it  not  be  imagined  that  the  life  of  a good 
Christian  must  necessarily  be  a life  of  melancholy  and 
gloominess ; for  he  only  resigns  some  pleasures  to 
enjoy  others  infinitely  better.  Those  who  hope  for  no 
other  life  are  dead  even  for  this.  The  Bible  without 
the  Spirit  is  a sun-dial  by  moonlight.  Human  things 
must  be  known  in  order  to  be  loved.  Divine  things 
must  be  loved  in  order  to  be  known.  If  the  way  to 
heaven  be  narrow,  it  is  not  long;  and  if  the  gate  be 
straight,  it  opens  into  endless  life. 


PLEASURES  OF  PIETY. 


517 


Sometimes  God  puts  such  wonderful  sweetness 
into  the  doing  of,  or  the  refraining  from,  some  little 
thing  for  his  sake,  that  we  wonder  what  makes  us  so 
happy  about  it,  and  be  conscious  that  it  is  not  exactly 
one’s  mere  natural  feeling ; is  it  not  a precious  ex- 
perience of  great  reward? 

A good  conscience  is  to  the  soul  what  health  is  to 
the  body;  it  preserves  a constant  ease  and  serenity 
within  us,  and  more  than  countervails  all  the  calami 
ties  and  afflictions  that  can  possibly  befall  us. 

How  independent  of  money  peace  of  conscience  is, 
and  how  much  happiness  can  be  condensed  in  the 
humblest  homes. 

Duty  that  is  bought  is  worth  little.  “ I consider,” 
said  Dr.  Arnold,  “ beyond  all  wealth,  honor,  or  even 
health,  is  the  attachment  due  to  noble  souls  ; beca  ^se 
to  become  one  with  the  good,  generous  and  true,  is  to 
be  in  a manner,  good,  generous,  and  true  yourself. 
Every  man  has  a service  to  do,  to  himself  as  an  indi- 
vidual, and  to  those  who  are  near  him.  In  fact,  life  is 
of  little  value  unless  it  be  consecrated  by  earnest, 
pious  actions.” 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  most  certain,  the  most  sacred 
the  most  glorious,  of  all  facts  ; arrayed  in  a beauty  and 
majesty  which  throws  the  “ starry  heavens  above  us  ” 
into  obscurity,  and  fills  us  truly  with  ever-growing 
reverence  and  awe.  He  shines  forth  with  the  self- 
evidencing  light  of  the  noonday  sun.  He  is  too  great, 
too  pure,  too  perfect,  to  have  been  invented  by  any  sin- 
ful and  erring  man.  His  character  and  claims  are 
confirmed  by  the  sublimest  doctrine,  the  purest  ethics, 


5 I 8 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

the  mightiest  miracles,  the  grandest  spiritual  kingdom, 
and  are  daily  and  hourly  exhibited  in  the  virtues  and. 
graces  of  all  who  yield  to  the  regenerating  and  sancti- 
fying  power  of  His  spirit  and  example. 

The  historical  Christ  meets  and  satisfies  all  our  in- 
tellectual and  moral  wants.  The  soul,  if  left  to  its 
noblest  impulses  and  aspirations,  instinctively  turns  to 
Him,  as  the  needle  to  the  magnet,  as  the  flower  to  the 
sun,  as  the  panting  hart  to  the  fresh  fountain.  We  are 
made  for  Him,  and  our  “ heart  is  without  rest  until  it  rests 
in  Him.”  He  commands  our  assent,  He  wins  our  ad- 
miration, He  overwhelms  us  with  adoring  wonder.  We 
cannot  look  upon  Him  without  spiritual  benefit.  We 
cannot  think  of  Him  without  being  elevated  above  all 
that  is  low  and  mean,  and  encouraged  to  all  that  is 
good  and  noble.  The  very  hem  of  His  garment  is 
healing  to  the  touch.  One  hour  spent  in  His  com- 
munion outweighs  all  the  pleasures  of  sin.  He  is  the 
most  precious  and  indispensable  gift  of  a merciful  God 
to  a fallen  world.  In  Him  are  the  treasures  of  true 
wisdom,  in  Him  the  fountain  of  pardon  and  peace,  in 
Him  the  only  substantial  hope  and  comfort  in  this 
world  and  that  which  is  to  come. 

Mankind  could  better  afford  to  lose  the  whole  lit- 
erature of  Greece  and  Rome,  of  Germany  and  France, 
of  England  and  America,  than  the  story  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth.  Without  Him  history  is  a dreary  waste,  an 
inextricable  enigma,  a chaos  of  facts  without  a mean- 
ing,  connection  and  aim  ; with  Him  it  is  a beautiful, 
harmonious  revelation  of  God,  the  slow  but  sure  un- 
folding of  a plan  of  infinite  wisdom  and  love. 


PLEASURES  OF  PIETY. 


519 


Salvation  is  full  of  grace.  Yet  these  things  are 
required:  “Let  him  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ 

depart  from  all  iniquity.”  “Whosoever  would  be  my 
disciple,  let  him  take  up  his  cross,  deny  himself  daily, 
and  follow  me.”  “Ye  cannot,”  says  our  Lord,  “serve 
God  and  mammon.”  Shrink  not  from  the  pain  these 
sacrifices  must  cost.  It  is  not  so  great  as  many  fancy. 
The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  His  people’s  strength.  Love 
has  so  swallowed  up  all  sense  of  pain,  and  sorrow  has 
been  so  lost  in  ravishment,  that  men  took  joyfully  the 
spoiling  of  their  goods,  and  martyrs  went  to  the  burn- 
ing stake  with  beaming  countenances,  and  sang  their 
death-song  amid  the  roaring  flames. 

Let  us  by  faith  rise  above  the  world,  and  it  will  shrink 
into  littleness  and  insignificance  compared  with  Christ. 

Some  while  ago  two  aeronauts,  hanging  in  mid-air, 
looked  down  to  the  earth  from  their  balloon,  and 
wondered  to  see  how  small  great  things  had  grown. 
Ample  fields  were  contracted  into  small  patches ; the 
lake  was  no  larger  than  a looking-glass ; the  broad 
river,  with  ships  floating  on  its  bosom,  seemed  like  a 
silver  thread  ; the  wide-spread  city  was  reduced  to  the 
dimensions  of  a village ; the  long,  rapid,  flying  train 
appeared  but  a black  caterpillar,  slowly  creeping  over 
the  surface  of  the  ground. 

And  such  changes  the  world  undergoes  to  the  eyes 
of  him  who  rises  to  hold  communion  with  God,  and 
anticipating  the  joy  of  heaven,  lives  above  it  and  looks 
beyond  it.  This  makes  it  easy  and  even  joyful  to  part 
with  all  for  Christ — “this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith.” 


520 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


If  a man  were  to  travel  through  some  dangerous 
wilderness,  having  but  one  jewel  in  all  the  world,  in 
which  his  whole  property  consisted,  and  should  hear 
some  in  one  place,  and  some  in  another,  crying  out, 
under  the  hands  of  cruel  robbers,  O,  in  what  fear 
would  this  traveler  go,  lest  he  should  lose  his  jewel 
and  be  robbed  of  his  all  at  once  ! Why  my  friend,  thou 
art  the  man — this  traveler  is  thyself — this  wilderness  is 
the  world — this  jewel  is  thy  soul.  Thou  hast  to  travel 
through  crowds  of  sinners,  legions  of  devils,  and  a 
whole  world  of  temptations;  and  if  their  utmost  spite 
can  keep  thee  out  of  heaven,  thou  shalt  never  come 
there. 

What  if  thy  sins  committed,  thy  duties  neglected, 
thy  pride  and  worldly-mindedness  should  at  last  betray 
thy  soul  into  the  robbers’  hands;  other  losses  may  be 
retrieved  ; but  thy  soul  being  lost — God  is  lost,  Christ 
is  lost,  heaven  is  lost,  all  is  lost,  forevermore.  Secure, 
then,  the  safety  of  this  infinitely  precious  jewel — thy 
own  immortal  soul.  Turn  to  the  “stronghold,”  the 
“house  of  defense”  the  “city  of  refuge.”  Come  unto 
Christ,  who  will  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  him,  and  will  preserve  them  “ unto  his 
heavenly  kingdom.” 

The  man  who  carries  a lantern  in  a dark  night 
can  have  friends  all  around  him,  walking  safely  by  the 
help  of  its  rays,  and  he  be  not  defrauded.  So  he  who 
has  the  God-given  light  of  hope  in  his  breast  can  help 
on  many  others  in  this  world’s  darkness,  not  to  his  own 
loss,  but  to  his  precious  gain. 

See  what  a Christian  is,  drawn  by  the  hand  of 


PLEASURES  OF  PIETY. 


521 


Christ.  He  is  a man  on  whose  clear  and  open  brow 
God  has  set  the  stamp  of  truth ; one  whose  very  eye 
beams  bright  with  honor;  in  whose  very  look  and 
bearing  you  may  see  freedom,  manliness,  veracity ; a 
brave  man — a noble  man — frank,  generous,  true,  with, 
it  may  be,  many  faults;  whose  freedom  may  take  the 
form  of  impetuosity  or  rashness,  but  the  form  of 
meanness  never.  Young  men,  if  you  have  been 
deterred  from  religion  by  its  apparent  feebleness  and 
narrowness,  remember,  it  is  a manly  thing  to  be  a 
Christian. 

Child  of  God,  if  you  would  have  your  thought  of 
God  something  beyond  a cold  feeling  of  his  presence, 
let  faith  appropriate  Christ.  You  are  as  much  the 
object  of  God’s  solicitude  as  if  none  lived  but  your- 
self. He  has  counted  the  hairs  of  your  head.  In  Old 
Testament  language,  “ He  has  put  your  tears  into  his 
bottle.”  He  has  numbered  your  sighs  and  your 
smiles.  He  has  interpreted  the  desires  for  which  you 
have  not  found  a name  nor  an  utterance  yourself.  If 
you  have  not  learned  to  say,  “ My  Redeemer,”  then 
just  so  far  as  there  is  anything  tender  or  affectionate 
in  your  disposition,  you  will  tread  the  path  of  your  pil- 
grimage with  a darkened  and  a lonely  heart ; and 
when  the  day  of  trouble  comes  there  will  be  none  of 
that  triumphant  elasticity  which  enabled  Job  to  look 
down,  as  from  a rock,  upon  the  surges  which  were 
curling  their  crests  of  fury  at  his  feet,  but  could  only 
reach  his  bosom  with  their  spent  spray. 

There  is  a grand  fearlessness  in  faith.  He  who  in 
bis  heart  of  hearts  reverences  the  good,  the  true, 


522 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  holy — that  is,  reverences  God — does  not  tremble 
at  the  apparent  success  of  attacks  upon  the  outworks 
of  his  faith.  They  may  shake  those  who  rested  on 
those  outworks — they  do  not  move  him  whose  soul 
reposes  on  the  Truth  itself.  He  needs  no  props  or 
crutches  to  support  his  faith.  He  does  not  need  to 
multiply  the  objects  of  his  awe  in  order  to  keep  dread- 
ful doubt  away.  Founded  on  a rock,  faith  can  afford  to 
gaze  undismayed  at  the  approaches  of  infidelity. 

Gvei^y  Day  Religion. 

The  truly  catholic  spirit  of  Christianity  accommo- 
dates itself,  with  an  astonishing  condescension,  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  whole  human  race.  It  rejects 
none  on  account  of  their  pecuniary  wants,  their  per- 
sonal infirmities,  or  their  intellectual  deficiencies.  No 
superiority  of  parts  is  the  least  recommendation,  nor 
is  any  depression  of  fortune  the  smallest  objection. 
None  are  too  wise  to  be  excused  from  performing  the 
duties  of  religion,  nor  are  any  too  poor  to  be  excluded 
from  the  consolations  of  its  promises. 

If  we  admire  the  wisdom  of  God  in  having  fur- 
nished different  degrees  of  intelligence  so  exactly 
adapted  to  their  different  destinations,  and  in  having 
fitted  every  part  of  his  stupendous  work,  not  only  to 
serve  its  own  immediate  purpose,  but  also  to  con- 
tribute to  the  beauty  and  perfection  ot  the  whole;  ho\i 
how  much  more  ought  we  to  adore  that  goodness  which 


EVERY  DAY  RELIGION.  523. 

has  perfected  the  divine  plan  by  appointing  one  wide,, 
comprehensive  and  universal  means  of  salvation  ; a sab 
vation  of  which  all  are  invited  to  partake ; by  a means 
which  all  are  capable  of  using ; which  nothing  but 
voluntary  blindness  can  prevent  our  understandings 
and  nothing  but  willful  error  can  hinder  us  from  em- 
bracing. 

The  muses  are  coy  and  will  only  be  wooed  and  won 
by  some  highly  favored  suitors.  The  sciences  are 
lofty  and  will  not  stoop  to  the  reach  of  ordinary  ca- 
pacities. But  “ wisdom  (by  which  the  royal  preacher 
means  piety)  is  a loving  spirit ; she  is  easily  seen  of 
them  that  love  her,  and  found  of  all  such  as  seek 
her.”  Nay,  she  is  so  accessible  and  condescending 
“ that  she  preventeth  them  that  desire  her,  making  her- 
self first  known  to  them.” 

We  are  told  by  the  same  animated  writer  “that 
wisdom  is  the  breath  of  the  power  of  God.”  How 
infinitely  superior  in  grandeur  and  sublimity  is  this 
description  to  the  origin  of  the  wisdom  of  the  heathens, 
as  described  by  their  poets  and  mythologists.  In  the 
exalted  strains  of  the  Hebrew  poet  we  read  that  “ Wis- 
dom is  the  brightness  of  the  everlasting  light,  the 
unspotted  mirror  of  the  power  of  God,  and  the  image 
of  his  goodness.” 

A man  must  be  an  infidel  either  from  pride,  preju- 
dice or  bad  education  ; he  cannot  be  one  unawares  or 
by  surprise ; for  infidelity  is  not  occasioned  by  sudden 
impulse  or  violent  temptation.  He  may  be  hurried  by 
some  vehement  desire  into  an  immoral  action,  at  which 
he  will  blush  in  his  cooler  moments,  and  which  he  will 


524 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


lament  as  a sad  effect  of  a spirit  unsubdued  by  religion ; 
but  infidelity  is  a calm,  considerate  act,  which  cannot 
plead  the  weakness  of  the  heart  or  the  seduction  of 
the  senses.  Even  good  men  frequently  fail  in  their 
duties  through  the  infirmities  of  nature  and  the  allure- 
ments of  the  world ; but  the  infidel  errs  on  a plan,  on 
a fixed  and  deliberate  principle. 

Nothing  does  so  open  our  faculties,  and  compose 
and  direct  the  whole  man,  as  an  inward  sense  of  God; 
of  his  authority  over  us;  of  the  laws  he  has  set  us;  of 
his  eye  ever  t/pon  us ; of  his  hearing  our  prayers, 
assisting  our  endeavors,  watching  over  our  concerns; 
and  of  his  being  able  to  judge,  and  to  reward  or  punish 
us  in  another  state,  according  to  what  we  do  in  this. 
Nothing  will  give  a man  such  a detestation  of  sin,  and 
such  a sense  of  the  goodness  of  God,  and  of  our 
obligations  to  holiness,  as  a right  understanding  and 
a firm  belief  of  the  Christian  religion;  nothing  can 
give  a man  so  calm  a peace  within,  and  such  a firm 
security  against  all  fears  and  dangers  without,  as  the 
belief  of  a kind  and  wise  providence  and  of  a future 
state.  An  integrity  of  heart  gives  a man  a courage 
and  a confidence  that  cannot  be  shaken.  A man  is  sure 
that,  by  living  according  to  the  rules  of  religion,  he  be- 
comes the  wisest,  the  best  and  happiest  creature  that 
he  is  capable  of  being.  Honest  industry,  the  employ- 
ing of  his  time  well,  and  a constant  sobriety,  an  unde- 
filed purity  and  chastity,  with  a quiet  serenity,  are  the 
best  preservers  of  life  and  health;  so  that,  take  a man 
as  a single  individual,  religion  is  his  guard,  his  perfec- 
tion, his  beauty  and  his  glory.  This  will  make  him  the 


EVERY  DAY  RELIGION. 


525 


light  of  the  world,  shining  brightly  and  enlightening 
many  round  about  him. 

Life  force  may  go  into  words  or  it  may  go  into 
deeds.  The  power  of  steam  may  expend  itself  through 
the  cylinder  or  through  the  whistle.  Steady  living, 
under  the  sweet  pressure  of  genuine  love  for  God,  is 
vastly  more  eloquent  than  the  most  rhetorically  sweet 
sounding  declarations  by  the  human  voice.  There 
may  be  a religion  without  words  ; there  can  be  none 
without  deeds.  The  old  proverb  puts  it  well:  “None 
preaches  better  than  the  ant,  and  she  says  nothing.” 

A practical  writer  of  the  day  gives  us  the  following: 
“We  want  a religion  that  softens  the  step,  and  tones 
the  voice  to  melody,  and  fills  the  eyes  with  sunshine, 
and  checks  the  impatient  exclamation  and  the  harsh 
rebuke ; a religion  that  is  polite,  deferential  to  superiors, 
courteous  to  inferiors,  and  considerate  to  friends;  a 
religion  that  goes  into  the  family,  and  keeps  the 
husband  from  being  spiteful  when  the  dinner  is  late, 
and  keeps  the  dinner  from  being  late;  keeps  the  wife 
from  fretting  when  the  husband  tracks  the  newly- 
washed  floor  with  his  muddy  boots,  and  makes  the 
husband  mindful  of  the  scraper  and  the  door-mat ; 
keeps  the  mother  patient  when  the  baby  is  cross; 
amuses  the  children  as  well  as  instructs  them — wins 
as  well  as  governs;  cares  for  the  servants  besides  pay- 
ing them  promptly ; looks  after  the  apprentice  in  the 
shop,  and  the  clerk  behind  the  counter,  and  the  student 
in  the  office,  with  a fatherly  care  and  a motherly  love ; 
setting  the  solitary  in  families,  and  introducing  them  to 
pleasant  and  wholesome  society,  that  their  lonely  feet 


526 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


may  not  be  led  into  temptation.  We  want  a religion 
that  will  hold  intercourse  continually  between  the  ruts 
and  gullies  and  rocks  of  the  highway  of  life  and  the 
sensitive  souls  that  are  passing  over  them. 

“We  want  a religion  that  bears  heavily,  not  only  on 
the  executive  sinfulness  of  life,  but  the  exceeding  ras- 
cality of  lying  and  stealing  ; a religion  that  banishes 
short  measures  from  the  counter,  small  baskets  from 
the  stalls,  pebbles  from  the  cotton  rags,  clay  from  the 
paper,  sand  from  sugar,  beet-juice  from  vinegar,  alum 
from  bread,  strychnine  from  wine,  water  from  milk 
cans  and  buttons  from  the  contribution  box.  The  re- 
ligion that  is  to  save  the  world  will  not  put  all  the  big- 
strawberries  at  the  top  and  the  bad  ones  at  the  bot- 
tom. It  will  sell  raisins  on  stems,  instead  of  stems 
without  raisins.  It  will  not  make  one  half  of  a 
pair  of  shoes  of  good  leather  and  the  other  of  poor, 
so  that  the  first  shall  redound  to  the  maker’s  credit, 
and  the  second  to  his  cash ; nor,  if  the  shoes  be 
promised  on  Thursday  morning,  will  it  let  Thursday 
morning  spin  out  till  Saturday  night.  It  does  not  send 
the  little  boy  who  has  come  for  the  daily  quart  of  milk 
into  the  barnyard  to  see  the  calf,  and  seize  the  op- 
portunity to  skim  off  the  cream ; nor  does  it  sur- 
round stale  butter  with  fresh,  and  sell  the  whole  for 
good ; nor  sell  off  the  slack-baked  bread  upon  the 
stable  boy ; nor  dust  the  pepper ; nor  “ deacon  ” the 
apples. 

“The  religion  that  is  to  sanctify  the  world  pays  its 
debts.  It  does  not  borrow  money  with  little  or  no 
purpose  of  repayment,  but  concealing  or  glossing  over 


EVERY  DAY  RELIGION. 


527 


the  fact.  It  looks  upon  a man  who  has  failed  in  trade 
and  continues  to  live  in  luxury  as  a thief.  It  looks 
upon  a man  who  promises  to  pay  fifty  dollars  on  de- 
mand, with  interest,  and  who  neglects  to  pay  it  on  de- 
mand, with  or  without  interest,  as  a liar.” 

In  brief,  good  works  are  the  actions  of  a saved 
man,  proving  his  salvation  ! They  hang  upon  the 
Christian  life,  somehow  as  fruit  does  on  a living  tree. 

“We  often  do  more  good,”  says  Canon  Farrar, 
“ by  our  sympathy  than  by  our  labors,  and  render  to  the 
world  a more  lasting  service  by  absence  of  jealousy 
and  recognition  of  merit,  than  we  could  ever  render  by 
the  straining  efforts  of  personal  ambition.  A man  may 
lose  position,  influence,  wealth  and  even  health,  and 
yet  live  on  in  comfort,  if  with  resignation  ; but  there 
is  one  thing-  without  which  life  becomes  a burden — that 
is  human  sympathy.” 

It  is  true  that  kind  actions  are  not  always  received 
with  gratitude,  but  this  ought  never  to  turn  aside  the 
sympathetic  helper.  This  is  one  of  the  difficulties  to 
be  overcome  in  our  conflict  with  life.  Even  the  most 
degraded  is  worthy  of  the  mutual  help  which  all  men 
owe  to  each  other.  It  should  be  remembered,  as 
Bentham  no  less  truly  than  profoundly  remarked,  that 
the  happiness  of  the  cruel  man  is  as  much  an  integral 
part  of  the  whole  human  happiness  as  is  that  of  the 
best  and  noblest  of  men.  Then,  again,  a man  cannot 
do  good  or  evil  to  others  without  doing  good  or  evil 
to  himself. 

The  opportunities  of  doing  good  come  to  all  who 
work  and  will.  The  earnest  spirit  finds  its  way  to  the 


528 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


hearts  of  others.  Patience  and  perseverance  overcome 
all  things.  How  many  men,  how  many  women,  too, 
volunteer  to  die  without  the  applause  of  men.  They 
give  themselves  up  to  visiting  the  poor;  they  nurse 
the  sick,  suffer  for  them,  and  take  the  infectious  dis- 
eases of  which  they  die.  Many  a life  has  thus  been 
laid  down  because  of  duty  and  mercy.  They  had  no 
reward  except  that  of  love.  Sacrifice,  borne  not  for 
self  but  for  others,  is  always  sacred. 

We  need  a gospel  for  the  poor,  that  shall  go  to 
them  with  food  for  the  soul  in  one  hand,  and  food  for 
the  body  in  the  other.  The  religion  of  the  helping 
hand  is  the  only  one  that  will  save  our  great  cities 
from  relapsing  into  barbarism.  We  have  no  sym- 
pathy with  cold-hearted  religion.  We  want  that  which 
kindles  the  eye,  and  loosens  the  tongue,  and  draws  out 
the  purse-strings — a religion  that  makes  its  presence 
known,  warming  the  hearts  and  lives  of  those  who 
profess  to  possess  it. 

The  true  test  of  any  religion  is  the  effect  it  pro- 
duces upon  the  lives  of  those  who  profess  it.  And, 
indeed,  the  test  of  real  merit  everywhere  must  be  the 
power  it  possesses  of  accomplishing  desirable  results. 
In  this  age  of  the  world  men  are  not  judged  by  what 
they  claim  to  be  able  to  do,  but  by  what  they  can  do; 
not  by  what  they  are  reputed  to  be,  but  by  what  they 
are.  Here  is  where  the  religion  of  our  own  country 
rises  superior  to  the  faith  of  Mohammedan  or  Hindoo 
lands  ; for  while  there  is  much  hypocrisy  in  the  church, 
and  far  too  much  worldliness,  there  is  yet  an  absence 


EVERY  DAY  RELIGION. 


529 


of  those  sensual  and  brutal  elements  which  character- 
ize the  religions  of  Arabia  and  the  Ganges. 

Religion  is  a thing  of  love,  and  it  will  die  if  com- 
manded to  be  dumb.  Instead  of  being  content  to  live 
so  as  to  escape  blame,  the  Christian  is  required  to  live 
so  as  to  prove  a means  of  blessings.  If  religion  is 
anything  it  is  the  whole  of  man’s  life;  it  is  the  car- 
riage of  his  soul  and  of  his  body ; it  is  the  disposition 
of  his  time  ; it  is  the  whole  being  aright. 

Religion  is  not  confined  to  devotional  exercises, 
but  rather  consists  in  doing  all  we  are  called  and  quali- 
fied to  do,  with  a single  eye  to  God’s  glory  and  will, 
from  a grateful  sense  of  his  mercy  to  us.  This  is  the 
alchemy  which  turns  everything  into  gold,  and  stamps 
a value  upon  common  actions.  Religion  finds  the 
love  of  happiness  and  the  principles  of  duty  separated 
in  us ; and  its  mission,  its  masterpiece  is  to  reunite 
them.  God  hears  the  heart  without  the  words,  but  he 
never  hears  the  words  without  the  heart. 

Without  prayer  there  is  no  such  thing  as  religion  ; 
all  that  is  so  called  will  melt  away  into  nothingness  if  it 
is  not  concentrated  and  shaped  into  prayer.  Cleanse 
thy  morning  soul  with  private  and  due  devotions  ; till 
then  admit  no  business.  The  first-born  of  thy  thoughts 
are  God’s,  and  not  thine,  but  by  sacrilege.  Think 
thyself  not  ready  till  thou  hast  praised  Him,  and  He 
will  be  always  ready  to  bless  thee. 

The  severance  of  religion  from  business  in  the 
minds  and  lives  of  many  professors  is  lamentably 
manifest.  A man  who  is  not  righteous  with  men  can- 
not be  righteous  before  God.  A man  who  is  wrong  in 
34 


530 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


his  lower  relations  is  sure  to  be  so  in  the  higher.  If 
one  be  untrue  or  tricky  or  dishonest  with  men,  he  can- 
not make  amends  before  God  by  any  amount  of  pray- 
ing, or  penance,  or  psalm-singing,  or  alms-giving,  or 
church-going.  If  things  are  not  done  on  “the  square” 
in  the  shop,  the  store,  the  office,  the  home,  a man 
need  not  think  he  can  make  up  for  them  in  the  closet 
or  in  the  church.  Giving  one  half  of  ill-gotten  gains 
does  not  rectify  matters ; giving  all  will  not  do  it. 
Praying  will’  not  cancel  cheating ; nor  attending  prayer- 
meeting, lying.  If  a man  would  be  right  with  God  he 
must  get  right  with  men. 

I know  of  no  great  expounder  of  moral  principle, 

■ know  of  no  eloquent  teacher  of  divine  truth  who  is 
more  useful  in  God’s  world,  than  a business  man  that 
carries  his  religion  into  his  business.  With  many 
people,  religion  is  merely  a matter  of  words.  So  far 
as  words  go,  we  do  what  we  think  right.  But  the 
words  rarely  lead  to  action,  thought  and  conduct,  or  to 
purity,  goodness  and  honesty.  There  is  too  much 
playing  at  religion,  and  too  little  of  enthusiastic  work 
for  Christ. 

An  everyday  religion  is  one  that  loves  the  duties 
of  our  common  walk;  one  that  makes  an  honest  man; 
one  that  accomplishes  an  intellectual  and  moral  growth 
in  the  subject;  one  that  works  in  all  weathers  and  im- 
proves all  opportunities,  will  best  and  most  healthily 
promote  the  growth  of  a church  and  the  power  of  the 
gospel. 

When  a Christian  finds  his  belief  in  the  doctrines 
of  the  gospel  growing  weak,  his  doubts  arising,  it  is 


EVERY  DAY  RELIGION. 


531 


well  for  him  to  look  within,  and  to  see  whether  it  is  not 
the  fact  that  coldness  of  heart  has  given  rise  to  wan- 
dering of  the  head.  We  need  a sympathetic  spirit  in 
order  to  receive  and  understand  the  truth.  We  learn 
our  most  valuable  lessons  through  experience.  When 
experience  ceases,  our  apprehension  of  the  truth  often 
ceases. 

“ I have  been  a member  of  your  church  for  thirty 
years,”  said  an  elderly  Christian  to  his  pastor,  “and 
when  I was  laid  by  with  sickness  only  one  or  two  came 
to  see  me.  I was  shamefully  neglected.”  “ My  friend,” 
said  the  pastor,  “ in  all  those  thirty  years  how  many 
sick  have  you  visited?”  “ O,”  he  replied,  “it  never 
struck  me  in  that  light.”  The  trouble  with  this  man 
was  that  he  only  thought  of  the  obligations  that  other 
people  owed  him,  and  gave  very  little  thought  to  his 
own  obligations  to  them.  It  is  too  bad  to  think  of,  but 
just  such  persons,  calling  themselves  Christians,  are  to 
be  found  in  every  community. 

Carry  God  whilst  thou  livest,  in  the  chariot  of  thy 
zealous  soul,  and  thou  shalt  not  want  the  chariot  and 
horses  of  fire  to  attend  thee  when  thou  diest.  Your 
Saviour  has  a human  heart.  There  is  no  reason  and 
really  no  place  in  the  universe  for  a man  who  denies 
God’s  existence  because  he  is  out  of  sight  on  high.  Is 
your  heart  hungry?  So  is  Christ’s  heart!  It  is 
hungry  with  human  love  for  human  love.  He  was 
born  of  a woman.  Christianity  is  the  regeneration  of 
our  whole  nature,  not  the  destruction  of  one  atom 
of  it. 

We  are  all  ministers;  some  are  speaking  minis- 


532 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ters,  some  giving  ministers,  some  sick-visiting  minis- 
ters, some  quiet,  sympathetic  ministers,  but  all  the 
Lord’s  people  are  prophets,  and  we  are  only  in  the 
apostolic  succession  so  long  as  we  succeed  to  the 
apostolic  spirit  and  to  the  apostolic  doctrine. 

The  great  duty  of  Christians  is  to  win  the  world 
to  Christ.  It  is  a work  for  all,  not  for  the  preacher 
alone.  It  is  a work  for  every  day  and  hour  all  through 
life,  not  for  occasional  seasons  merely  and  times  of 
special  interest.  If  the  walls  are  not  built,  it  is  the 
fault  of  all  the  workmen  who  have  failed  in  their 
duty.  When  all  work,  the  walls  go  up  surely  and 
grandly;  when  a few  work  and  the  rest  are  idle,  but 
few  stones  are  laid,  and  they  cannot  protect  us  against 
the  foe. 


©HE  E?OWEI^  OP  E?^AYEI^. 

Christ’s  soldiers  fight  best  on  their  knees. 

Pray  more  and  worry  less. — D.  L.  Moody. 

Ere  you  left  your  room  this  morning, 

Did  you  think  to  pray  ? 

In  the  name  of  Christ,  our  Saviour, 

Did  you  sue  for  loving  favor, 

As  a shield  to-day  ? 

When  you  met  with  great  temptations. 

Did  you  think  to  pray  ? 

By  his  dying  love  and  merit, 

Did  you  claim  the  Holy  Spirit, 

As  your  guide  and  stay  ? 

The  more  we  pray,  the  more  we  forget  to  be 
unthankful,  discontented,  grumbling.  We  forget  to 
be  anxious  and  worried,  because  we  lay  our  burdens 


THE  POWER  OF  PRAYER. 


533 


on  the  Saviour.  We  forget  to  be  gloomy,  because  we 
draw  near  to  the  source  of  all  joy.  We  cease  to  sin 
as  much  as  before,  because  the  heart  becomes  purified 
in  its  intercourse  with  Jehovah. 

He  that  knows  how  to  pray  has  the  secret  of  safety 
in  prosperity,  and  of  support  in  trouble.  He  has  the 
art  of  overruling  every  enemy,  and  of  turning  every 
loss  into  gain.  He  has  the  power  of  soothing  every 
care,  of  subduing  every  passion,  and  of  adding  a relish 
to  every  enjoyment.  Many  things  are  good  for  me, 
but  none  so  good  as  to  draw  nigh  to  God. 

Faith  builds,  in  the  dungeon  and  the  lazar-house, 
its  sublimest  shrines ; and  up,  through  roofs  of  stone, 
that  shut  up  the  eye  of  Heaven,  ascends  the  ladder — 
prayer — where  the  angels  glide  to  and  fro.  He  that 
knows  how  to  pray  has  the  secret  of  support  in  trouble, 
and  of  relief  from  anxiety;  the  power  of  soothing 
every  care,  and  filling  the  soul  with  entire  trust  and 
confidence  for  the  future.  Go  and  talk  with  God  on 
the  mount  of  prayer,  and  then  descend  with  shining 
face  and  transfigured  soul  to  bless  the  weary  multitude 
beneath. 

In  this  age  of  doubt,  when  nothing  sacred  escapes 
the  contempt  of  the  skeptic,  and  wlfen  he  would  seek 
to  uproot  the  foundations  of  the  faith  of  the  ages,  it 
could  hardly  be  expected  that  prayer,  which 

“ is  the  Christian’s  vital  breath, 

The  Christian’s  native  air,” 

would  go  untouched.  Quite  to  the  contrary,  they 
have  laid  violent  hands  upon  that,  than  which  there  is 
nothing  more  natural,  and  certainly  nothing  more 


534 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


spiritual.  Such  is  the  awful  sense  of  God’s  power  and 
presence,  and  of  man's  utter  dependence  upon  some- 
thing above  and  beyond  himself,  that  the  very  stress 
of  circumstances  into  which  even  the  worst  are  brought 
will  wring  from  them  the  language  of  prayer. 

It  is  a disposition  of  our  normal  nature  to  pray ; 
God  has  made  us  for  the  duty  of  prayer.  And  in 
amazing  accommodation  he  has  linked  an  inherent 
power  to  the  fervent,  faithful  prayer.  “ The  effectual, 
fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous  availeth  much.”  I know 
of  nothing  beneath  heaven’s  blue  vault  that  is  so  pow- 
erful as  the  sincere,  simple  prayer.  For  to  this  an 
eternal  omnipotent  God  has  committed  himself  to  use 
his  power.  The  power  that  has  propelled  the  wheels 
of  the  world,  moving  it  forward  to  the  advancing  light 
of  peace  and  harmony  amid  the  nations  of  earth,  has 
not  been  that  which  has  emanated  from  the  cabinets  of 
presidents  and  kings ; nor  again  that  which  has  been 
derived  from  the  shock  of  contending  battalions  upon 
the  gory  fields,  but  it  has  been  the  hidden  power 
couched  in  the  prayers  of  good  men  and  godly  women, 
wrestling  with  God  in  their  silent  closets.  The  conflict 
which  gained  the  grandest  victory  for  Scotland,  and 
lifted  her  where  she  stands  to-day,  a land  lit  up  with 
the  altar-fires  of  intelligence  and  piety,  did  not  originate, 
in  Holyrood  Palace,  nor  was  it  waged  upon  the  field 
of  carnage,  but  in  the  solitary  chamber  of  John  Knox, 
who  prayed  all  night,  crying  out  in  the  desperation  of 
faith,  “Give  me  Scotland,  or  I die.” 

Young  man,  would  you  be  a power  for  good — 
would  you,  like  Jacob,  become  a prevailing  prince 


THE  POWER  OF  PRATER. 


535 


among  men?  Keep  close  to  God  in  prayer.  The 
mightiest  man  on  earth  to-day  is  he  who  has  most 
power  with  God.  “ Prayer  is  the  magic  sound  that 
saith  to  fate,  so  be  it ; prayer  is  the  slender  nerve  that 
moveth  the  muscles  of  Omnipotence.” 

On  the  rocks  by  the  seashore  I have  seen  marine 
creatures  living  when  the  tide  was  out ; not  in  the  briny 
pools  it  leaves,  but  on  the  dry  and  naked  rock — in  the 
withering  air — in  the  burning,  broiling  sun.  They 
lived,  because  when  twice  each  day  the  foaming  tide 
came  in,  and  rising,  covered  the  rocky  shelf  they  clung 
to,  they  opened  their  shut  and  shelly  mouths  to  drink 
in  water  enough  to  last  them  when  the  tide  went  out, 
and  till  the  next  tide  came  in.  Even  so,  twice  a day 
also  at  the  least,  we  are  to  replenish  our  thirsty  souls 
— fill  our  emptiness  from  the  ocean  of  grace  and  mercy 
that  flows  free  and  full  in  Christ,  to  the  least  of  saints 
and  chief  of  sinners.  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  Godhead 
bodily. 

Prayer,  which  is  a constant  duty  and  privilege,  is 
practically  “desire.”  It  is  desire  with  its  garments  on  ; 
desire  booted  and  saddled  for  traveling  the  heavenly 
road.  Prayer  without  desire  is  dead  ; its  soul  has  fled, 
it  is  but  the  carcass  of  prayer.  When  desire  is  burn- 
ing in  the  soul  it  sends  up  the  flame  of  prayer,  or  the 
sparks  of  sighs  and  groans.  Prayer  is  the  fiery  chariot 
and  desires  are  its  horses  of  fire.  Since,  then,  we  are 
commanded  to  “pray  without  ceasing,”  we  are  really 
commanded  to  make  known  our  desires  continually. 
Give  utterance  to  your  desire  in  the  best  form  you 
can,  however  difficult  may  be  the  task.  I pray  you  do 


536 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


this,  for  God  would  have  you  confess  all  to  him.  He 
says  that  ‘ men  ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint;” 
and  again,  “ in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication 
let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God.”  Jesus 
said,  “Watch  and  pray,”  and  his  apostle  said,  “I  will 
that  men  pray  everywhere.”  And  what  is  this  but  to 
make  your  desires  known  to  God? 

Bishop  Taylor  beautifully  remarks  : “ Prayer  is  the 
key  to  open  the  day,  and  the  bolt  to  shut  in  the  night. 
But  as  the  clouds  drop  the  early  dew  and  the  evening 
dew  upon  the  grass,  yet  it  would  not  spring  and  grow 
green  by  that  constant  and  double  falling  of  the  dew, 
unless  some  great  shower  at  certain  seasons  did  sup- 
ply  the  rest ; so  the  customary  devotion  of  prayer 
twice  a day  is  the  falling  of  the  early  and  the  latter 
dew.  But  if  you  will  increase  and  flourish  in  works 
of  grace,  empty  the  great  clouds  sometimes,  and  let 
them  fall  in  a full  shower  of  prayer.  Choose  out 
seasons  when  prayer  shall  overflow  like  Jordan  in  time 
of  harvest.” 

Earnest,  intense  prayer  is  the  key  to  the  gate 
that  opens  into  life’s  noblest  success.  When  Martin 
Luther  had  much  labor  to  do,  he  prayed  much.  Labor 
without  prayer  will  rarely  be  a success  from  the  highest 
stand-point.  Labor  is  said  to  be  of  noble  birth ; but 
prayer  is  the  daughter  of  heaven.  Labor  has  a place 
near  the  throne ; but  prayer  touches  the  golden  scep- 
ter. Labor,  Martha-like,  is  busy  with  much  serving ; 
but  prayer  sits  with  Mary  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. 

He  that  knows  how  to  pray  has  the  secret  of 
safety  in  prosperity  and  of  support  in  trouble.  He 


THE  POWER  OF  PRAYER. 


537 


has  the  art  of  overruling  every  enemy,  and  of  turning 
every  loss  into  a gain.  He  has  the  power  of  soothing 
every  care,  of  subduing  every  passion,  and  of  adding 
a relish  to  every  enjoyment.  Many  things  are  good 
for  me,  but  none  so  good  as  to  draw  nigh  to  God. 

The  ordinary  blessings  of  life  will  ever  come  to  us 
in  the  ordinary  way,  and  our  pr-ayers  will,  with  very 
few  indeed,  if  any,  exceptions,  meet  their  answer  in 
the  ordinary  events  in  human  life.  When  we  pray, 
“Thy  kingdom  come,”  we  expect  the  prayer  to  be 
answered  by  the  operation  of  all  the  instrumentalities 
and  agencies  by  which  gospel  grace  is  administered 
and  gospel  triumphs  achieved.  In  like  manner  the 
daily  prayer  for  daily  bread  and  deliverance  from  evil 
will  receive  daily  answers  in  fresh  supplies  and  deliv- 
erance. And  true  devotion  will  see,  in  these  daily 
blessings,  the  tokens  of  the  All-wise  and  ever  provi- 
dent care  and  protection  of  the  Father  in  heaven 
to  whom  we  pray.  That  there  may  be  wonderful  and 
even  miraculous  interpositions  is  true ; but  they  will 
not  be  looked  for  except  on  occasions  of  so  extraor- 
dinary a nature  as  to  demand  them. 

Faithful  prayer  always  implies  correlative  exertion ; 
and  no  man  can  ask  honestly  or  hopefully  to  be  deliv- 
ered from  temptation,  unless  he  has  himself  honestly 
and  firmly  determined  to  do  the  best  he  can  to  keep 
out  of  it. 

The  prayers  ol  men  have  not  changed  God’s  physi- 
cal laws.  They  were  well  arranged  when  the  world 
was  set  in  order.  But  it  is  the  prayers  of  loyal  men — 
it  is  their  work  with  God  and  his  with  them — which 


533 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


planted  this  continent  with  men  who  wanted  to  obey 
H is  law.  In  the  midst  of  personal  selfishness  and  per- 
sonal crime,  the  drift,  the  general  wish,  of  this  land  has 
been  to  obey  His  law,  as  far  as  the  land  could  make  it 
out. 

And  prayer  is  a reassuring  of  one’s  self  that  God 
does  exist.  It  is  a reaching  out  and  laying  hold  of  the 
hand  of  God,  as  a timid  child  in  the  night  is  comforted 
by  taking  hold  of  a parent’s  hand.  Prayer  is  not  so 
much  that  by  which  we  secure  a change  in  the  order 
of  events  as  something  by  which  we  are  made  quiet, 
and  content  to  let  the  afflictive  order  of  events  go  on. 
It  is  the  soul’s  assurance  to  itself  that  this  suffering 
and  this  midnight  darkness  is  all  controlled  by  God, 
and  that  out  of  it  he  will  bring  the  highest  good.  And 
so  with  prayer  comes  praise.  The  soul  which  by 
prayer  has  gained  a sense  of  God’s  presence  lifts  up 
to  him  its  joyful  songs  of  praise.  The  world  is  full  of 
troubled,  sorrowing  men — men  who  have  been  so 
afflicted  that  they  have  given  up  hope  and  are  in 
despair.  Now  if  you  will  only  sing  songs  in  the  mid 
night,  they  may  be  persuaded  that  after  all  the  world 
is  ruled  by  God. 

If  a canoe  be  connected  by  a cord  with  a distant 
ship,  one  in  the  canoe  may  draw  himself  to  the  ship,  if 
he  cannot  draw  the  ship  to  himself.  So,  it  has  beer 
said,  is  it  with  prayer.  If  it  do  not  bring  God  to  man. 
it  will  bring  man  to  God. 

And  this  is  always  well  for  man.  Conscious  ap- 
proach to  God  lifts  man  above  himself ; takes  him,  for 
the  time,  out  of  this  world  of  everchanging  phenomena 


THE  POWER  OF  PRAYER. 


539 


and  places  him  among  the  changeless  varieties  of 
eternity. 

Oh ! it  is  a glorious  fact  that  prayers  are  noticed  in 
heaven.  The  poor,  broken-hearted  sinner,  climbing 
up  to  his  chamber,  bends  his  knee,  but  can  only  utter 
his  wailing  in  the  language  of  sighs  and  tears.  Lo  ! 
that  groan  has  made  all  the  harps  of  heaven  thrill  with 
music ; that  tear  has  been  caught  by  God  and  put  into 
the  lachrymatory  of  heaven,  to  be  perpetually  pre- 
served. The  suppliant,  whose  fears  prevent  his  words, 
will  be  well  understood  by  the  Most  High. 

Oh,  fathers  and  mothers,  are  your  homes  prayer- 
less? And  when  it  is  too  late,  when  your  children 
have  grown  and  gone  out  into  the  stormy,  tempting 
world,  and  when  they  are  no  longer  impressible  to  the 
voice  of  prayer,  will  it  be  your  reproachful,  bitter  regret 
that  they  have  gone  from  your  home  and  perhaps  from 
the  world  without  an  example  of  prayer  from  you,  and 
without  any  petition  from  their  own  lips!  May  God 
save  you  such  an  experience  and  help  you  towards  the 
realization  of  a better  fate!  As  you  must  make  the 
first  approach,  you  must  make  your  home  Christian. 
Do  this,  and  as  time  severs  the  links  that  bind  it  in 
loving  unity  and  one  goes  here  and  another  there,  it 
will  be  a delightful  reflection  that  your  home  had  an 
altar,  a door  opening  towards  heaven,  and  that  ere  long 
there  will  be  a joyful  family  reunion  and  a sweet  shout 
of  praise  in  the  heavenly  home  on  high. 

A sweet  and  intelligent  little  girl  was  passing 
quietly  through  the  streets  when  she  came  to  a spot 
where  several  idle  boys  were  amusing  themselves  by 


540 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  dangerous  practice  of  throwing  stones.  Not  ob- 
serving her,  one  of  the  boys,  by  accident,  threw  a stone 
towards  her,  and  struck  her  a cruel  blow  in  the  eye. 

She  was  carried  home  in  great  agony.  The  doctor 
was  sent  for,  and  a very  painful  operation  was  declared 
necessary.  When  the  time  came,  and  the  surgeon 
had  taken  out  his  instruments,  she  lay  in  her  father’s 
arms,  and  he  asked  her  if  she  was  ready  for  the  doctor 
to  do  what  he  could  to  cure  her  eye. 

“ No,  father,  not  yet,”  she  replied. 

“What  do  you  wish  us  to  wait  for,  my  child?” 

“I  want  to  kneel  in  your  lap,  and  pray  to  Jesus 
first,”  she  answered. 

And  then  kneeling,  she  prayed  a few  minutes,  and 
afterwards  submitted  to  the  operation  with  all  the 
patience  of  a strong  woman. 

How  beautiful  this  little  girl  appears  under  these 
trying  circumstances!  Surely  Jesus  heard  the  prayer 
made  in  that  hour ; and  he  will  hear  every  child  that 
calls  upon  his  name.  Even  pain  can  be  endured  when 
we  ask  Jesus  to  help  us  bear  it. 

Three  little  children,  about  six,  four  and  three 
years  of  age,  respectively,  were  playing  together  when, 
disagreeing  about  something,  two  of  them  became 
rather  sullen,  and  refused  to  go  on  with  their  play. 
The  eldest  of  the  three  at  once,  and  with  a serious, 
matronly  air,  said:  “Stop!  and  let  us  all  kneel  down 
and  pray,”  which  they  did;  and  she,  leading  them,  and 
having  them  repeat  after  her  deliberately  each  word 
by  itself,  said:  “Dear  Jesus,  make  us  love  each  other.” 


THE  POWER  OF  PRAYER. 


541 


They  all,  in  subdued  and  most  serious  tones,  repeated 
the  words  after  her ; and  then,  rising  up,  went  on  with 
their  play  as  pleasantly  as  could  be  wished. 

A Christian  woman  in  a town  in  New  York  desired 
to  obtain  a schoolhouse  for  the  purpose  of  starting  a 
Sunday  school,  but  was  refused  by  a skeptical  trustee. 
Still  she  persevered  and  asked  him  again  and  again. 

“I  tell  you,  Aunt  Polly,  it  is  of  no  use.  Once  for 
all,  I say  you  cannot  have  the  schoolhouse  for  any 
such  purpose.” 

“I  think  I am  going  to  get  it,”  said  Aunt  Polly. 

“ I should  like  to  know  how,  if  I do  not  give  you 
the  key.” 

“I  think  that  the  Lord  is  going  to  unlock  it.” 

“ Maybe  he  will,”  said  the  infidel;  “ but  I can  tell  you 
this:  he  will  not  get  the  key  from  me.” 

“Well,  I am  going  to  pray  over  it,  and  I have  found 
out  from  experience  that  when  I keep  on  praying 
something  always  gives  way i' 

And  the  next  time  she  came  the  hard  heart  of  the 
infidel  gave  way  and  she  received  the  key.  More  than 
this,  when  others  opposed  the  school,  he  sustained  her, 
and  great  good  was  done  for  perishing  souls. 

“ Something  gives  way.”  Sometimes  it  is  a man’s 
will,  and  sometimes  it  is  the  man  himself.  Sometimes 
there  is  a revolution,  and  sometimes  there  is  a funeral. 
When  God’s  Spirit  inspires  a prayer  in  a believing 
Christian’s  heart,  Omnipotence  stands  ready  to  answer 
it.  “ Something  gives  way.” 

How  deeply  rooted  must  unbelief  be  in  our  hearts 


542 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


when  we  are  surprised  to  find  our  prayers  answered, 
instead  of  feeling  sure  they  will  be  so,  if  they  are  only 
offered  up  in  faith  and  are  in  accord  with  the  will  of 
God. 


©I^UE  REPENTANCE. 

Repentance  is  the  key  which  unlocks  the  gate  wherein  sin  keeps  a man  a 
prisoner. 

Tears  on  the  cheek  of  a repentant  soul  are  more  precious  in  the  eyes  of  God 
than  the  pearls  in  the  diadems  that  angels  wear. 

A determination  to  repent  will  result  in  a realiza- 
tion of  the  reasonableness  and  necessity  of  repent- 
ance, and  a personal  experience  of  it.  Now,  what  is 
repentance?  “True  repentance  is  a grace  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  whereby  a sinner,  from  the  sense  of  his 
sins  and  apprehension  of  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ, 
doth  with  grief  and  hatred  of  his  sin  turn  from  it  to 
God,  with  full  purpose  of,  and  endeavors  after,  future 
obedience.”  This  is  repentance  ; it  consists,  radically 
and  essentially,  in  turning  the  mind  from  evil  to  good. 
In  the  nature  of  the  case  that  will  be  accompanied 
with  sorrow  for  sin. 

But  sorrow  need  not  be  prescribed  to  a traveler 
who  has  gone  the  wrong  way,  and  has  to  retrace  his 
steps  to  get  into  the  right  way ; he  will  be  sorry 
enough  without  prescribing  any  penance  as  a punish- 
ment for  his  sin,  or  a prerequisite  for  pardon. 

A willingness  to  trust  in  Christ  for  salvation  will 
result  in  the  assurance  that  we  do  thus  trust  in  him, 
and  are  saved  by  him. 


TRUE  REPENTANCE. 


543 


Prayer  is  the  vehicle  of  faith — a means  of  acquir- 
ing it — thus  the  general  belief  in  God’s  mercy  through 
Christ,  which  sweetly  prompts  us  to  pray,  procures 
that  faith  by  which  we  are  justified.  A disposition  to 
do  the  whole  will  of  God  will  result  in  the  assurance 
that  we  are  saved  by  him.  This  is  what  is  significant- 
ly called  experimental  religion.  We  leave  the  inquirer 
to  make  the  experiment  for  himself,  having  no  misgiv- 
ing as  to  the  result.  We  simply  remark  that  the 
doubts  of  men  are  occasioned  by  their  ignorance, 
indolence,  pride,  and  prejudice,  which  indispose  them 
to  do  the  will  of  God.  It  follows  that  men  are  justly 
condemned  for  their  unbelief,  because  it  has  in  it  the 
essence  of  disobedience,  of  which  it  is  both  cause  and 
effect.  “He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved  ; but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.” 

Regeneration  affects  man’s  moral  nature,  changes 
the  current  of  his  thoughts  and  desires.  It  changes 
the  life  by  changing  the  springs  thereof.  It  sweetens 
and  purifies  the  stream  of  individual  influence  by  cast- 
ing the  sweetening  and  purifying  substance  into  the 
fountain.  God  traces  the  evil  and  the  good,  that  is 
revealed  in  individual  life  in  evil  thoughts  and  desires, 
on  the  one  hand,  and  in  good  thoughts  and  desires,  on 
the  other,  to  the  right  source,  the  heart.  Mind  rules 
matter.  Mind  conceives  the  ideal,  then  guides  the 
skilled  and  cunning  hand  in  the  production  of  the  ideal 
in  substantial  form.  It  is  the  ruling  power  in  the 
realm  of  literature  and  art. 

But  when  we  come  to  the  consideration  of  man’s 
complex  nature,  uniting  the  moral  and  the  intellectual, 


544 


WELL-SrRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


we  find  that,  somehow,  both  in  the  light  of  history  and 
of  Scripture,  the  moral  rules.  The  heart  shapes  and 
controls  the  thinking  and  the  desires  of  the  race.  It 
gives  to  character  its  stamp  and  impress.  “ As  a man 
thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he.” 

Mere  sensibility  is  not  saving.  Many  are  affected 
by  the  tragedy  of  the  Cross  who  will  not  receive  its 
doctrines,  or  deny  themselves  a single  indulgence  for 
His  sake  who  hung  thereon.  The  prodigal,  when  he 
said,  “I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,”  became,  in  a 
measure,  reformed  from  that  very  moment.  He  not 
only  left  the  swine-troughs,  but  he  left  the  wine-cups 
and  the  harlots.  He  did  not  go  with  a harlot  on  his 
arm  and  wine-cup  in  his  hand,  and  with  these  attempt 
to  return  to  his  father.  This  could  not  be.  They 
were  all  left ; and  though  he  had  no  goodness  to  bring, 
he  forsook  his  vices  as  soon  as  he  proposed  a better 
life.  If  we  do  not  know  what  the  sorrow  of  penitence 
is  we  are  far  from  true  peace.  It  is  because  we  have 
been  living  only  on  the  surface  of  life,  unmindful  of  its 
deep  realities,  not  seeing  the  grander  glories. 

These  things,  then,  being  true,  it  is  manifest  that  if 
man  ever  attains  to  a correct  outward  life,  the  heart 
must  be  changed.  A mere  change  of  will  is  not  suf- 
ficient. The  drunkard  wills  to  turn  to  a life  of  sobriety, 
but  appetite  conquers  the  will.  The  libertine  wills  to 
become  pure  and  chaste  in  life;  but  passion  bears 
down  before  its  terrific  power  the  unbuttressed  will, 
and  the  man  goes  downward  still.  The  remedy  for 
this,  the  only  remedy,  lies  in  a change  of  the  moral 
nature.  Man  must  be  taught,  not  only  to  love  virtue 


TRUE  REPENTANCE. 


545 


and  right  for  their  own  sake,  but  be  so  strengthened 
in  the  springs  of  his  moral  being  that  he  shall  be  able 
to  obey  the  behests  of  the  will.  In  a word,  God  must 
come  in,  cleanse,  change  the  heart,  and  adorn  it  with 
the  immortal  garniture  of  the  Spirit. 

I do  entreat  you  to  remember  that  salvation  is  the 
one  thing  needful.  Health,  and  riches,  and  titles  are 
not  needful  things.  A man  may  gain  eternal  life  with- 
out them.  But  what  shall  the  man  do  who  dies  not 
saved  ? Oh,  that  you  would  see  that  you  must  have 
salvation  now,  in  this  present  life,  and  lay  hold  upon  it 
for  your  soul.  Oh,  that  you  would  see  that,  saved  or 
not  saved  is  the  grand  question  in  religion.  Sects  or 
parties,  opinions  and  creeds,  all  these  are  trifling 
questions  in  comparison. 

Repentance  is  not  a change  in  the  realm  of  the 
intellect.  It  is  not  a change  of  opinion,  as  when  scien- 
tific men  held  for  a time  that  the  planets  moved  around 
the  sun,  following  the  course  of  a perfect  circle,  and 
afterwards  changed  their  minds  and  concluded  that 
the  planets  moved  around  the  sun,  following  the 
course  of  an  ellipse.  That  was  a change  of  opinion. 
That  is  not  repentance. 

Repentance  is  not  a change  of  will , as  when  a 
young  man  sits  down,  it  may  be  at  the  beginning  of  the 
year,  and  he  says : “ I am  going  to  turn  over  a new 
leaf.  I am  tired  of  my  old  life.  I am  going  to  live  a 
better  life.”  That  of  itself  is  very  well ; but  it  is  not 
repentance.  He  finds,  it  may  be  soon,  that  he  is  like 
a little  child  rowing  a small  boat  against  a strong  cur- 
rent,— though  he  struggles  hard,  he  is  ever  borne 
35 


546 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


back  further  and  further  by  the  stream.  This  is  not 
repentance.  Mr.  Moody  defines  repentance  as  con- 
taining two  features  ; sorrow,  and  change  of  purpose. 
Repentance  is  not  fear;  it  is  not  remorse;  it  is  not 
feeling;  it  is  not  praying.  It  is  turning  from  a sinful 
course  and  entering  on  a holy  course. 

No  man  ever  saw  himself  a lost,  ruined,  helpless  sin- 
ner save  under  the  influences  of  the  Spirit.  The  word 
is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  and  is  only  mighty  through 
God  when  wielded  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Repentance  is 
the  repudiation  of  self,  and  faith  is  the  acceptance  of 
Christ,  and  between  the  two  is  a gulf  where  many  a 
man  has  been  drowned  in  perdition.  The  proof  that 
we  believe  in  the  reality  of  religion  is  that  we  walk  in 
the  power  of  it.  And  apart  from  this  there  is  no 
argument  to  sustain  it,  no  demonstration  to  establish  it. 

Wherever  there  is  true  repentance,  there  will  be 
the  beginning  of  a new  and  better  behaviour.  A man 
who  repents  will  set  out  to  be  a better  man.  That  is 
the  reason  why  we  cannot  do  our  repentance  and  say 
good-bye  to  it,  all  up  at  one  time.  No;  a man  is  ever 
to  repent.  His  blessed  Lord  has  taught  him  to  pray 
the  daily  prayer:  “Forgive  us  our  trespasses.”  All 
through  the  Christian  life,  repentance  is  a factor  in 
sanctification.  A servant  girl  once  asked  for  admission 
into  a church  in  which  the  members  were  very  particu- 
lar whom  they  accepted  for  membership ; so  they  gave 
her  a very  thorough  examination,  and  among  other 
questions  asked  her:  “What  makes  you  think  that 
you  really  have  become  a Christian  ? ” And  she 
answered : “ I sweep  under  the  mats  now.”  Before, 


TRUE  REPENTANCE. 


547 


she  had  done  her  work  superficially ; now,  she  did  it 
conscientiously.  And  so,  wherever  there  is  repentance, 
there  will  be  the  beginning  of  scrupulous  behaviour. 
That  is  what  the  psalmist  means  when  he  says:  “ I will 
run  the  way  of  thy  commandments  when  thou  shalt 
enlarge  my  heart.” 

Repentance  is  a change  of  heart.  God  says  : “ Son, 
give  me  thine  heart.”  As  if  he  should  say,  if  you  will 
only  give  your  heart,  your  whole  nature  must  follow. 
And  so  we  find  it  written  that  out  of  the  heart  are  the 
issues  of  life.  Repentance  is  a change  of  heart,  a 
change  of  affection  ; so  that  a man  who  is  a good  lover 
and  a good  hater,  if  he  is  converted,  will  become  a 
good  Christian.  Religion  is  a matter  of  the  affections. 
Here  we  are,  the  roots  of  our  lives  matted  together 
in  this  great  sod  of  humanity,  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren. We  have  our  father,  mother,  brothers,  sisters, 
wife,  children,  sweet  acquaintances  and  friends,  and 
we  stand  in  definite  relation  to  this  one  and  that  one ; 
but  the  time  comes  when  there  springs  up  a definite 
relation  between  us  and  God.  Human  life  needs  for 
its  completeness  perpendicular  as  well  as  horizontal 
relations.  We  need  to  be  bound  to  God  by  relations 
of  trust  and  love ; and  the  formation  of  these  relations 
to  God — this  is  repentance.  Repentance  is  the  turn- 
ing of  the  affections  Godward. 

We  do  not  wish  to  hide  anything ; our  hope  lies  in 
our  heavenly  Father’s  knowing  all.  There  should  be 
no  wish  to  smuggle  up  even  a stray  desire,  or  to  con- 
ceal the  most  doleful  groan  ; all  should  be  open  and 
above-board  between  a sinner  and  his  Saviour  What 


54§ 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


secrets  can  there  be  between  a soul  convinced  of  sin 
and  a pardoning  God  ? It  would  have  an  ill  look  if  we 
still  sewed  fig-leaves  together,  or  hid  among  the  trees 
of  the  garden.  No,  let  us  stand  forth,- and  let  our  cov- 
ering be  such  only  as  the  Lord  himself  provides.  Take 
care,  then,  in  prayer  to  set  forth  the  secrets  of  your 
soul  before  God.  Tell  Him  your  sin,  and  spread  it 
out  in  all  its  sorrowful  detail.  Tell  Him  your  fears  for 
the  past,  your  anxieties  for  the  present,  and  your 
dreads  for  the  future;  tell  Him  your  suspicions  of 
yourself,  and  your  trembling  lest  you  should  be  de- 
ceived. Tell  Him  what  salvation  you  wish  for,  and 
what  work  of  grace  it  is  that  your  soul  desireth:  make 
all  your  heart  known  unto  God,  and  keep  back  nothing, 
for  much  benefit  will  come  to  you  from  being  honest 
with  your  best  Friend. 

There  are  many  who  want  to  be  religious,  who 
desire  to  be  real,  genuine  Christians;  but  they  lack 
courage  and  resolution.  They  frame  many  frivolous 
excuses,  and  listen  to  many  evil  suggestions  from  the 
enemy.  Sometimes  they  make  the  start,  but  are  timid, 
irresolute,  and  are  afraid  they  will  perish  without  it  ; 
but  they  do  not  go  resolutely  to  God  with  the  deter- 
mination that  they  will  seek  until  they  obtain.  So  they 
always  remain  doubting,  trembling,  irresolute  and  un- 
happy, desiring  heaven,  but  unwilling  to  strive  for  it. 

Behold  the  sinner  on  his  knees,  with  the  pricks  of 
conscience  lashing  his  poor  soul  until  he  is  driven  to  a 
frenzy.  His  remorse  is  keen,  his  fear  appalling,  and 
his  feeling  and  piteous  prayers  draw  tears  from  the 
eyes  of  those  who  witness  his  struggles.  He  agonizes 


TRUE  REPENTANCE. 


549 


in  this  manner  without  avail,  and  time  and  again  seems 
sinking  in  despair,  until  a good  and  wise  brother  ap- 
proaches, and,  with  a tenderness  born  alone  of  that 
love  to  God  and  peaceful  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  whispers  words  of  wisdom  in  his  ear. 

“My  brother,”  says  the  man  of  God,  “cease  your 
struggles  ; your  actions  and  your  words  are  in  vain, 
for  they  cannot  save  you.  Though  you  poured  out 
your  prayers  like  the  waters  of  the  sea,  and  though 
your  groans  resounded  through  the  arches  of  heaven, 
and  your  remorse  found  expression  in  the  surging 
winds,  yet  it  would  all  be  of  no  avail.  There  was  one 
who  was  ‘wounded  for  our  transgressions,’  and  on 
Him  was  laid  the  burden  of  providing  salvation  for  all 
mankind.  ‘By  His  stripes’  are  we  healed,  and  nothing, 
not  anything  whatsoever,  remains  for  us  to  do  that  we 
Vmay  partake  of  that  salvation.  My  brother,  accept  of 
the  blessing  that  the  dear  Lord  holds  out  to  you,  and 
in  accepting  it,  prove  that  you  are  enjoying  it  and 
making  it  your  own  by  a newness  of  life  and  action. 
But  don’t  think  that  because  of  this  new  way  of  living 
you  are  saved!  Oh,  no!  You  are  saved  already 
through  Him,  and  now  partake  of  that  salvation  by 
using  the  newness  of  life  He  has  given  you.” 


550 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Sunshine  and  Shadow. 


All  sunshine  makes  the  desert. — Arab  Proverb. 

They  tell  in  Europe  of  a poor  man  who  was  con- 
fined for  many  years  in  a cold,  dark  dungeon.  There 
was  but  one  aperture  in  the  wall,  and  through  that  the 
sunbeams  came  for  but  a few  minutes  daily,  making  a 
bright  spot  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  cell.  Often 
and  often  the  lonely  man  looked  upon  that  little  patch 
of  sunshine,  and  at  length  a purpose  to  improve  it 
grew  within  his  soul.  Groping  on  the  floor  of  his  cell 
he  found  a nail  and  a stone,  and  with  these  rude  imple- 
ments he  set  to  work  on  the  white  portion  of  the  wall 
for  the  few  minutes  of  every  day,  during  which  it  was 
illuminated,  until  at  length  he  succeeded  in  bringing 
out  upon  it  a rude  sculpture  of  Christ  upon  the  cross. 

Look  on  the  bright  side.  It  is  the  right  side.  The 
times  may  be  hard,  but  it  will  make  them  no  easier  to 
wear  a gloomy  and  sad  countenance.  It  is  the  sun- 
shine and  not  the  clouds  that  makes  the  flower.  The 
sky  is  blue  ten  times  where  it  is  black  once.  You 
have  troubles — so  have  others.  None  are  free  from 
them.  Troubles  give  sinew  and  tone  to  life — fortitude 
and  courage  to  man.  That  would  be  a dull  sea,  and 
the  sailors  would  never  get  skill,  were  there  nothing 
to  disturb  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  What  though 
things  look  a little  dark,  the  lane  will  turn,  and  night 
will  end  in  a broad  day.  There  is  more  virtue  in  a sun- 
beam than  in  a whole  hemisphere  of  cloud  and  gloom. 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW. 


551 


All  our  afflictions  are  Christ’s  refinings  ; and  the 
purer  the  gold,  the  hotter  will  be  the  fire;  the  whiter 
the  garment,  the  harder  the  cleansing.  Sorrow  over- 
whelms us,  yet  God  finds  music  in  everything.  Our 
sighs  and  sobs  waft  prayers  to  Him  that  bring  deliver- 
ance down.  They  are  really  songs  of  triumph  in 
minor  keys.  From  a bruised  and  broken  heart  God’s 
touch  causes  melody  to  flow  forth. 

The  man  who  has  learned  to  triumph  over  sorrow 
wears  his  miseries  as  though  they  were  sacred  fillets 
upon  his  brow,  and  nothing  is  so  entirely  admirable  as 
a man  bravely  wretched.  Every  to-morrow  extends 
either  a hand  of  anxiety  or  a hand  of  faith.  Men’s 
lives  should  be  like  the  days,  growing  more  beautiful 
towards  the  evening. 

Some  kinds  of  adversity  are  chiefly  of  the  character 
of  trials,  and  others  of  discipline.  By  discipline  is  to 
be  understood  anything  that  has  a direct  tendency  to 
produce  improvement,  or  to  create  some  qualification 
that  did  not  exist  before ; and  by  trial  anything  that 
tends  to  ascertain  what  improvement  has  been  made, 
or  what  qualities  exist. 

Shadows  lie  on  many  fields  of  knowledge,  but  the 
light  of  God  falls  on  the  path  of  duty.  Seneca  says 
that  the  good  things  which  belong  to  prosperity  are  to 
be  wished,  but  the  good  things  that  belong  to  adversity 
are  to  be  admired.  The  virtue  of  prosperity  is  tem- 
perance, the  virtue  of  adversity  is  fortitude ; which 
latter  is  the  more  heroical  virtue.  Our  sweetest  songs 
are  those  which  tell  of  saddest  thought. 

o 

A black  cloud  makes  the  traveler  mend  his  pace 


552 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  mind  his  home  ; whereas  a fair  day  and  a pleasant 
way  waste  his  time,  and  that  stealeth  away  his  affec- 
tions in  the  prospect  of  the  country.  However  others 
may  think  of  it,  yet  I take  it  as  a mercy  that  now  and 
then  some  clouds  come  between  me  and  my  sun,  and 
many  times  some  troubles  do  conceal  my  comforts; 
for  I perceive  if  I should  find  too  much  friendship  in 
any  inn  in  my  pilgrimage,  I should  soon  forget  my 
Father’s  house  and  my  heritage. 

Christians  have  frequently  more  of  these  sufferings 
than  others.  The  husbandman  does  not  prune  the 
bramble,  but  the  vine.  The  stones  designed  for  the 
temple  above  require  more  cutting  and  polishing  than 
those  which  are  for  the  common  wall.  Correction  is 
not  for  strangers,  but  children.  The  Christian  mourns 
over  those  infirmities  which  are  not  viewed  by  others  as 
sins,  such  as  wandering  thoughts  and  cold  affections  in 
duty.  It  is  said  of  that  beautiful  bird,  the  bird  of  Para- 
dise, that  if  it  is  caught  and  caged,  it  never  ceases  to 
sigh  till  it  is  free.  Just  such  is  the  Christian.  Nothing- 
will  satisfy  him  but  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of 
God. 

The  weeping  of  the  night  dew  is  soon  dried  from 
the  short  grass,  and  abides  not  many  hours  upon  the 
lone,  save  where  the  shade  of  shrub  or  willow  wards 
off  the  sun-rays.  So  the  tears  of  sadness  remain  but 
for  a short  space  upon  the  eyelashes  of  those  who  are 
young,  and  even  the  older  ones  soon  become  so  inter- 
ested in  the  pressing  cares  of  daily  life  that  their  griefs 
vanish  into  the  great  sepulchre  of  time. 

The  ereatest  of  difficulties  often  lie  where  we  are 

o 


oUNSHIXE  AND  SHADOW. 


553 


not  looking  for  them.  When  painful  events  occur, 
they  are,  perhaps,  sent  only  to  try  and  prove  us.  If 
we  stand  firm  in  our  hour  of  trial,  the  firmness  gives 
serenity  to  the  mind,  which  always  feels  satisfaction  in 
acting  conformably  to  duty.  “The  battles  of  the  wil- 
derness,” said  Norman  Macleod,  “are  the  sore  battles 
of  every-day  life.  Their  giants  are  our  giants,  their 
sorrows  our  sorrows,  their  defeats  and  victories  ours 
also.  As  they  had  honors,  defeats  and  victories,  so 
have  we.” 

Tribulation  may  come  as  a flood  into  the  church  ; 
we  may  be  disappointed  even  in  the  brethren ; but 
those  who  have  the  eye  fixed  on  Christ  “ hold  on  their 
way.”  The  word  which  they  have  heard  and  which 
they  keep  is  a strong  link  binding  them  to  Him  who 
is  more  than  all  else  to  them. 

Such  are  life’s  scenes.  Change  and  disappoint- 
ment are  written  upon  every  leaf  of  Time’s  book.  The 
present  seems  cheerless,  oftentimes  sad,  and  we  look 
forward  to  the  future  for  a “ reserved  cup  of  bliss ; ” 
the  future  comes  and  we  find  the  cup  empty  or  sadly 
adulterated.  Our  dearest  joys,  how  fleeting  they  are! 
W e place  our  affections  upon  some  cherished  friend, 
and  that  friend  is  taken  from  us  by  death;  we  bestow 
all  the  wealth  of  our  affections  upon  some  idolized 
object,  and  that  devotion  is  unrequited — perhaps  held 
in  derision. 

Life,  however,  has  some  sunny  spots  ; but  they  who 
seek  happiness  only  from  the  world,  find  but  few  of 
them.  The  gifted  Byron  possessed  of  rank  and 
talents  by  which  he  swayed  at  will  the  human  heart, 


554 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


and  at  the  waking  of  whose  “ harp  nations  heard  en- 
tranced,” was  most  unhappy. 

“ A wandering,  weary,  worn  and  wretched  thing, 

A scorched,  and  desolate,  and  blasted  soul, 

A gloomy  wilderness  of  dying  thought — 

Repined  and  groaned,  and  withered  from  the  earth.  ” 

Every  man  throws  on  to  his  surroundings  the  sun- 
shine or  the  shadow  that  exists  in  his  own  soul.  There 
are  two  sides  to  everything — a sunny  side  and  a shady 
side.  Where  are  you  ? Come  out  of  the  shadow  and 
sit  in  the  sunlight.  There  you  have  warmth  and  bird- 
songs all  the  year  round.  Feelings  come  and  go  like 
light  troops  following  the  victory  of  the  present;  but 
principles,  like  troops  of  the  line,  are  undisturbed  and 
stand  fast. 

Are  there  no  ways  worth  walking  in  but  those  un- 
certain trails  blazed  for  us  by  pioneers  through  tangled 
forests  on  the  frontiers  of  faith.  Old  roads  there  are 
that  offer  fair  prospects  and  that  lead  to  pleasant 
places  ; where  the  hedgerows  every  year  are  sweet 
with  blossoms  and  musical  with  birds;  from  beneath 
whose  sheltering  rocks  the  living  water  springs  as  cool 
and  fresh  to-day  as  when  our  fathers  drank  thereof. 

Most  pf  the  beatitudes  which  infinite  compassion 
pronounced  have  the  sorrow  of  earth  for  their  subject, 
but  the  joys  of  heaven  for  their  completion. 

While  we  are  wranolin^  here  in  the  dark  we  are 
dying  and  passing  to  the  world  that  will  decide  all  our 
controversies,  and  the  safest  passage  thither  is  by 
peaceable  holiness. 

The  world’s  eye  sees  little  beauty  in  the  crown  of 
thorns,  and  is  unable  to  perceive  the  grandeur  of  the 


TRUTH. 


555 


faith  that  accepts  the  sorrow  of  the  heaviest  cross  for 
the  sake  of  the  Christ  it  cannot  see.  There  arer 
indeed,  flashes  of  spiritual  glory,  beaming  now  and 
then  from  the  Christian  spirit  in  its  agony,  that  are  too 
bright  to  be  concealed ; but  usually  the  mass  of  men 
are  unable  to  hear  the  undertone  of  heavenly  music 
that  thrills  through  the  cry  of  Christian  sorrow,  or 
detect  the  robes  of  the  heavenly  palace  beneath  the 
garments  of  great  tribulation. 

The  children  sometimes  stretch  a silver  thread  in 
the  window,  between  the  sashes,  to  make  an  JE olian 
harp,  and  while  the  air  is  calm  and  still  there  is  no 
music,  but  when  the  wind  blows  softly  a faint  mur- 
mur of  music  is  heard,  and  the  stronger  the  wind,, 
the  louder  and  sweeter  the  melody  becomes.  It  is 
so  with  many  a human  heart.  The  purest,  sweetest, 
holiest  joy  I ever  witnessed  in  mortal  on  earth  was  in 
one  who  for  fourteen  years  had  been  sitting  in  her 
chair,  unable  to  lift  hand  or  foot.  All  these  years  her 
heart  had  been  communing  with  God,  and  the  sorrows 
that  beat  upon  the  chords  of  her  soul  struck  out  songs 
which  might  have  fallen  from  an  angel’s  tongue. 


©I^UTH. 

The  possession  of  truth  is  a matter  of  the  greatest 
importance.  “Ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the 
truth  shall  make  you  free;”  but  the  tendency  of  the 
human  mind  to  exalt  one  truth  to  the  neglect  of  all 


556 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


others,  often  leads  to  prejudice,  bitterness  and  strife, 
and  frequently  hinders  the  progress  of  correct  ideas. 
The  truth  is  far  more  important  than  a truth ; and  fre- 
quently when  persons  suppose  they  are  disseminating 
the  truth,  they  are  simply  laboring  to  proclaim truth; 
and  in  many  cases  a truth  which  is  not  of  the  greatest 
importance.  Truth,  considered  in  its  length  and 
breadth,  comprehends  the  wisdom  of  an  omniscient 
God.  Our  knowledge  of  truth  is  necessarily  very  lim- 
ited, and  our  great  danger  is  in  setting  some  single 
truth  in  the  foreground,  and  thus  deranging  the  har- 
mony of  the  divine  system,  instead  of  allowing  every 
portion  of  the  revealed  truth  to  keep  its  appropriate 
position. 

All  truth  is,  in  one  sense,  religious  truth.  It  leads 
ultimately  up  to  God;  it  is  what  it  is  by  his  will  and 
authority.  As  all  true  virtue,  wherever  found,  is  a ray 
of  the  life  of  the  All-Holy,  so  all  solid  knowledge,  all 
really  accurate  thought,  descends  from  the  Eternal 
Reason,  and  ought,  when  we  apprehend  it,  to  guide  us 
upwards  to  Him. 

All  that  Christ,  our  great  Teacher,  delivers  to  us 
is  truth — truth  unmixed  with  error,  truth  of  the  might- 
iest importance,  truth  that  can  make  us  free,  truth  that 
can  make  us  holy,  truth  that  can  make  us  blessed  for- 
evermore. “What  is  truth?”  was  the  question  which 
the  whole  world,  not  Pilate  alone,  was  asking  on  the 
day  when  Christ  was  crucified.  Pilate  seems  to  have 
been  divinely  guided  to  answer  his  own  question, 
when  he  cried,  “ Behold  the  man  !” 

Put  holy  truth  in  every  false  heart;  instil  a sacred 


TRUTH. 


557 


piety  into  every  worldly  mind  and  a blessed  virtue  into 
every  fountain  of  corrupt  desires;  and  the  anxieties  of 
philanthropy  might  be  hushed  and  the  tears  of  benevo- 
lent prayer  and  faith  might  be  dried  up  and  patriot- 
ism and  piety  might  gaze  upon  the  scene  and  the 
prospect  with  unmingled  joy.  Let  the  soul  be  turned 
as  strenuously  towards  good  as  it  usually  is  towards 
evil,  and  you  will  find  that  the  simple  love  of  goodness 
will  give  incredible  resources  to  the  spirit  in  the  search 
after  truth.  Love,  with  intellect,  will  perform  miracles. 

Whenever  the  soul  comes  into  a living  contact 
with  fact  and  truth,  whenever  it  realizes  these  with 
more  than  common  vividness,  there  arises  a thrill  of 
joy,  a glow  of  emotion.  And  the  expression  of  that 
thrill,  that  glow,  is  poetry.  The  nobler  the  objects, 
the  nobler  will  be  the  poetry  they  awaken  when  they 
fall  on  the  heart  of  a true  poet. 

No  man  is  thirsty  from  the  want  of  truth  to  slake 
that  thirst,  but  from  the  want  of  the  power  to  take 
hold  of  that  truth,  and  so  realize  satisfaction.  Jesus 
gives  the  power  to  do  this  when  He  gives  the  Spirit, 
and  that  Spirit  gives  satisfaction  by  the  power  He 
bestows  to  understand  the  things  of  God. 

The  condition  of  arriving  at  truth  is  not  severe 
habits  of  investigation,  but  innocence  of  life  and 
humbleness  of  heart.  Truth  is  felt,  not  reasoned  out; 
and  if  there  be  any  truths  which  are  only  appreciable 
by  the  acute  understanding,  we  may  be  sure  at  once 
that  these  do  not  constitute  the  soul’s  life,  nor  error  in 
these  the  soul’s  death.  For  instance,  the  metaphysics 
of  God’s  Being;  the  “plan,”  as  they  call  it,  of  “salva- 


558 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


tion;”  the  exact  distinction  between  the  Divine  and 
human  in  Christ’s  Person.  On  all  these  subjects  you 
may  read  and  read  until  the  brain  is  dizzy  and  the 
heart’s  action  is  stopped;  so  that  of  course  the  mind  is 
bewildered.  But  on  subjects  of  Right  and  Wrong, 
Divine  and  Diabolic,  Noble  and  Base,  I believe 
sophistry  cannot  puzzle  so  long  as  the  life  is  right. 

There  are  many  departments  of  truth,  human, 
divine  and  devilish.  There  are  truths  which  are  of 
little  importance;  truths  which  do  not  concern  us,  and 
truths  the  very  knowledge  of  which  would  stain  and 
pollute  our  souls  ; for  the  knowledge  which  Satan  has 
led  men  to  seek  is  not  merely  the  knowledge  of  good, 
it  is  “the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil .”  There  are 
things  which  are  ruinous  to  those  who  know  them, 
there  are  truths  which  we  would  keep  forever  from  the 
minds  and  comprehensions  of  those  who  are  nearest 
and  dearest  to  us. 

Truth,  to  do  good,  must  be  timed.  Firmness  must 
be  tempered  by  timeliness.  To  rebuke  some  sins 
under  certain  circumstances  would  be  simply  to  awake 
all  the  combativeness  there  is  in  man’s  nature,  and 
make  him  more  determined  in  wrong  doing.  But  there 
are  times  in  the  history  of  the  social  life  of  every  com- 
munity when  for  a pulpit  to  remain  silent  upon  the 
questions  of  moral  and  social  reform,  to  fail  to  speak 
plainly,  pointedly,  fearlessly  against  Sabbath  desecra- 
tion, card-playing,  dancing,  theater-going  and  so  on  to 
the  end,  is  to  be  guilty  of  a gross  delinquency  of  duty. 
The  truth  must  be  spoken,  even  though  our  position 
be  surrendered  because  of  our  fidelity. 


TRUTH. 


559 


The  truth  learned  in  the  Sunday  school  has  sprung 
up  in  the  heart  of  the  sailor  tossed  on  the  stormy 
deep  ; and  in  the  breast  of  the  soldier  breathing  valor 
in  the  tented  field.  In  the  wild  woods  of  the  West  the 
colonist  recalls  it ; in  the  gloomy  prison,  in  the  convict 
ship,  and  the  convict  settlement,  it  tells  the  captive  how 
he  may  be  free.  In  times  of  sorrow,  on  beds  of  sick- 
ness, in  the  hour  of  disappointment  or  loss  (for  our 
wants  are  various  and  our  woes  are  many),  when  the 
mind,  subdued  and  tamed,  recalls  the  scenes  of  child- 
hood, the  companions  and  friends  of  early  years, — the 
heart  swells,  the  eye  fills,  and  the  tear  falls,  as  the  text, 
the  chapter  or  the  hymn  learned  in  the  Sunday  school 
tells  of  mercy  yet  in  store,  and  leads  the  broken, 
wounded  and  bleeding  spirit  to  the  balm  in  Gilead,  and 
to  the  physician  there.  “ Cast  thy  bread  upon  the 
waters,  for  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many  days.” 

There  are  old  truths  which,  being  neither  Calvin- 
istic  nor  Armenian  nor  philosophical,  are  so  simple  and 
precious  that  the  humblest  can  understand  and  be  glad. 
“ Sanctify  them  through  Thy  truth,  Thy  word  is  truth.” 
These  words  were  uttered  by  our  Lord,  and  they  prove 
the  necessity  of  a knowledge  of  truth  in  order  for  it  to 
affect  our  lives.  The  object  in  giving  the  Church 
truth  is  to  set  them  apart  from  the  world,  and  to 
cleanse  them  “through  obedience”  to  it.  And  if  this 
end  is  not  attained,  then  we  will  never  be  fit  for  the 
glorious  position  to  which  we  are  called  by  His  word. 
If  this  truth  was  more  impressed  on  the  minds  of 
Christians,  they  would  endeavor  to  “worship  God  in 


5 60 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


spirit  and  in  truth,”  and  we  may  safely  say  that  only 
such  worship  is  wholly  acceptable  to  Him. 

Truth  is  given,  not  to  be  contemplated,  but  to  be 
done.  Life  is  an  action — not  a thought;  and  the 
penalty  paid  by  him  who  speculates  on  truth  is  that 
by  degrees  the  very  truth  he  holds  becomes  to  him  a 
lalsehood.  It  is  an  endless  work  to  be  uprooting 
weeds.  Plant  the  ground  with  wholesome  vegetation,, 
and  then  the  juicies  which  would  have  otherwise  fed 
rankness  will  pour  themselves  into  a more  vigorous 
growth ; the  dwindled  weeds  will  be  easily  raked  out 
then.  It  is  an  endless  task  to  be  refuting  error.  Plant 
truth,  and  the  error  will  pine  away. 

Remember  that  truth  commonly  goes  in  russet 
and  error  in  purple.  The  sober  judgment  which 
cannot  be  seduced  by  the  glitter  of  false  ideas,  hides 
itself  in  by-ways  among  slow,  humdrum  people,  while 
error  envelops  itself  in  alluring  sophistries  that  capti- 
vate brilliant  men  and  women.  Do  not  deny  this 
unth  you  have  well  thought  of  it,  and  then  you  will  not 
deny  it. 

Cultivate  the  love  of  truth.  I do  not  mean  ver- 
acity: that  is  another  thing.  Veracity  is  the  corres- 
pondence between  a proposition  and  a man’s  belief. 
Truth  is  the  correspondence  of  the  proposition  with 
fact.  The  love  of  truth  is  the  love  of  realities, — the 
determination  to  rest  upon  facts;  and  not  on  sem- 
blances. Take  an  illustration  of  the  way  in  which  the 
habit  of  cultivating  truth  is  got.  Two  boys  see  a mis- 
shapen, hideous  object  in  the  dark.  One  goes  up  to 
the  cause  of  his  terror,  examines  it,  learns  what  it  is, 


TRUTH. 


56l 


he  knows  the  truth,  and  the  truth  has  made  him  free. 
The  other  leaves  it  in  mystery  and  unexplained  vague- 
ness, and  is  a slave  for  life  to  superstitious  and  inde- 
finite terrors.  Romance,  prettiness,  “ dim  religious 
light,”  awe  and  mystery — these  are  not  the  atmosphere 
of  Christ’s  gospel  of  liberty.  Base  the  heart  on  facts. 
Truth  alone  makes  free. 

Truth,  whether  in  or  out  of  fashion,  is  the  measure 
of  knowledge  and  the  business  of  understanding; 
whatsoever  is  beside  that,  however  authorized  by  con- 
sent, or  recommended  by  rarity,  is  nothing  but  ignor- 
ance, or  something  worse.  Adhere  rigidly  and  unde- 
viatingly  to  truth  ; but  while  you  express  what  is  true, 
express  it  in  as  pleasing  a manner  as  possible.  Truth 
is  the  picture ; the  manner  is  the  frame  that  displays 
it  to  advantage.  Blunt  truths  make  more  mischief 
than  nice  falsehoods  do.  Concrete  the  truth  and  make 
it  shine.  For  heaven’s  sake  and  thy  soul’s  sake, 
teach  the  truth  and  let  it  alone  ! 

The  answers  which  truth  gives  to  a man,  depend 
very  much  upon  the  questions  which  he  puts  to  truth  ; 
the  manner  in  which  he  puts  his  questions  depends 
very  much  upon  the  principles  which  rule  his  life.  The 
truer  we  become  the  more  unerringly  we  know  the 
ring  of  truth.  All  that  is  mortal  and  perishable  will 
gradually  weary  us  ; truth  alone  will  endure.  He  that 
is  habituated  to  deceptions  and  artificialities  in  trifles 
will  try  in  vain  to  be  true  in  matters  of  importance  ; 
for  truth  is  a thing  of  habit  rather  than  will.  You 
cannot  in  any  given  case,  by  any  sudden  and  single 
effort,  will  to  be  true  if  the  habit  of  your  life  has  been 


562 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


insincerity.  Speaking-  truth  is  like  writing  fair,  and 
comes  only  by  practice;  it  is  less  a matter  of  will  than 
of  habit ; and  I doubt  if  any  occasion  can  be  trivial 
which  permits  the  practice  and  formation  of  such  a 
habit.  The  way  of  truth  is  like  a great  road.  It  is 
not  difficult  to  know  it.  The  evil  is  only  that  men  will 
not  seek  it.  Do  you  go  at  once  and  search  for  it. 

Truth  is  a torch,  but  one  of  enormous  size  ; so  that 
we  slink  past  it  in  rather  a blinking  fashion  for  fear  it 
should  burn  us.  All  truths  are  not  to  be  repeated, 
still  it  may  be  well  to  hear  them.  Truth  never 

turns  to  rebuke  falsehood;  her  own  straightforward- 
ness is  the  severest  correction.  Truth  need  not 
always  be  embodied ; enough  of  it  hovers  around  like 
a spiritual  essence,  which  gives  one  peace,  and  fills 
the  atmosphere  with  a solemn  sweetness  like  harmoni- 
ous music  of  bells. 

Childhood  often  holds  a truth  with  its  feeble  fingers, 
which  the  grasp  of  manhood  cannot  retain,  which  it  is 
the  pride  of  utmost  age  to  recover.  We  must  never 
throw  away  a bushel  of  truth  because  it  happens  to 
contain  a few  grains  of  chaff ; on  the  contrary,  we 
may  sometimes  profitably  receive  a bushel  of  chaff  for 
the  few  grains  of  truth  it  may  contain.  The  first  great 
work  is  that  yourself  may  to  yourself  be  true.  In 
troubled  water  you  can  scarce  see  your  face,  or  see  it 
very  little,  till  the  water  be  quiet  and  stand  still ; so  in 
troubled  times  you  can  see  little  truth ; when  times 
are  quiet  and  settled,  then  truth  appears. 

When  attacked  by  a stupid  or  malicious  critic,  it  is 
generally  best  to  keep  silent.  Entering  into  contro- 


TRUTH. 


563 


versy  with  such  will  not  better  your  situation.  Re- 
member that  a truth  once  uttered  cannot  die ; though 
it  may  be  crushed,  it  will  rise  again,  and  the  coming 
generations  are  almost  sure  to  discover  it  and  to  give 
you  the  credit,  despite  all  that  the  jealous  critic  may 
have  said.  If  the  truth  is  in  your  work,  the  critic  can- 
not crush  it;  he  cannot  destroy  its  influence;  but  if  the 
truth  is  not  in  it,  you  will  be  buried  out  of  sight, 
whether  there  be  a critic  to  dig  your  grave  or  not. 

By  resisting  such  critics  one  runs  in  danger  of 
faring  as  did  that  old  hunter  who  persistently  and 
courageously  followed  up  his  game.  After  killing  it  he 
was  obliged  to  bury  his  clothes.  A word  to  the  wise 
is  sufficient.  Such  critics  are  generally  a low  game,  not 
worth  hunting,  not  worth  disputing  with;  and  he  who 
indulges  in  a fight  with  them,  generally  comes  out 
of  the  fight  with  less  self-respect. 

There  are  three  motives  that  move  men  to  labor. 
Love  for  money,  love  for  fame,  and  love  for  truth. 
The  man  who  labors  only  for  money  is  selfish,  he  who 
sacrifices  all  for  fame  is  foolish,  he  who  lives  for  the 
truth  is  the  true  disciple.  He  may  not  become  rich,  he 
may  not  gather  fame,  but  he  is  an  honest  man,  and 
the  consciousness  of  this  fact  is  worth  more  than 
money  or  fame. 

Truth  should  be  enshrined  in  our  inmost  hearts, 
and  become  the  object  of  our  fervent  contemplation, 
our  earnest  desire  and  aspiration.  Consecrate,  above 
all  things,  truth,  whatever  prejudices  it  may  proscribe, 
whatever  advantages  it  may  forfeit,  and  whatever  priv- 
ileges it  may  level ; truth  though  its  recompense 


564 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


should  be  die  privations  of  poverty  or  the  darkness 
of  the  dungeon;  truth,  the  first  lesson  for  the  child,  and 
the  last  word  of  the  dying  ; truth,  the  world’s  regener- 
ator, God’s  image  on  earth,  the  essence  of  virtue  in 
the  character,  the  foundation  of  happiness  in  the  heart; 
truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

The  remote  effect  of  being  true  should  have  a 
place  in  our  thoughts.  The  future  is  built  on  the 
present.  Noble  living  projects  itself  into  the  future. 
It  comes  out  in  the  power  of  children  and  children’s 
children.  Its  widening  and  deepening  influence  goes 
out  through  the  gates  of  the  present  into  the  ever 
deepening  channels  of  the  future. 

When  your  duty’s  task  is  wrought 
In  unison  with  God’s  great  thought, 

Know  thou  that  there  the  Master’s  eye 
Surveys  your  work  approvingly  ; 

Smiles  on  your  task  with  sweetest  grace, 

Though  humble  and  obscure  your  place. 

Faint  not ; the  crown  is  only  won 
Through  patient  toil,  through  duties  done. 


E^ovidenge. 


What  men  call  accident  is  the  doing  of  God’s  providence. — Bailey. 

The  scriptures  are  crowded  with  explicit  declara- 
tions that  there  is  nothing  in  nature,  animate  or  inani- 
mate, which  is  self-sustaining.  Nor  is  the  Scripture 
less  emphatic  in  affirming  God’s  care  and  control  of 
his  human  children  than  in  declaring  his  sovereignty 
over  nature.  As  a history  the  Bible  is  a continuous 


PROVIDENCE. 


565 


record  of  God’s  direct  guidance  of  his  people.  From 
the  time  of  the  first  of  the  Patriarchs  to  that  of  the  last 
of  the  Apostles,  we  have  an  unbroken  series  of  special 
providences.  The  innumerable  exhortations  which  we 
find  in  Scripture  to  put  our  trust  in  God  and  pray  to 
him  for  guidance  and  daily  blessings,  are  based  upon 
this  truth  of  God’s  special  providence.  Such  exhorta- 
tions as  “Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord,”  “Rest  in 
the  Lord  and  wait  patiently  for  him,”  etc.,  would  be 
meaningless  without  the  certain  knowledge  that  God 
does  direct  the  affairs  of  men.  We  can  go  to  him  with 
confidence,  seeking  light  and  strength  in  each  day’s 
need  because  we  have  the  assurance  from  him  that  all 
our  times  are  in  his  hand. 

But  the  special  providence  of  God  is  not  merely 
thus  proved  in  the  history  and  implied  in  the  exhorta- 
tions to  trust  which  we  find  in  the  Bible;  it  is  also 
explicitly  stated.  “A  man’s  heart  deviseth  his  way, 
but  the  Lord  directeth  his  steps.”  “ The  lot  is  cast 
into  the  lap,  but  the  whole  disposing  thereof  is  of  the 
Lord.”  Most  emphatic  of  all  are  the  words  of  Christ 
himself  on  this  point. 

What  the  Bible  thus  strongly  affirms,  neither 
science  nor  our  own  consciousness  can  deny.  While 
we  could  never  have  discovered  from  either  of  these 
sources  the  truth  that  God  shapes  our  lives,  both  at 
least  convince  us  of  this,  that  we  do  not  and  cannot 
shape  them  for  ourselves.  Vainly  do  men  defy  the 
power — call  it  by  what  name  they  may — which  they 
are  forced  to  see  does  rule  the  world.  “Circumstan- 
ces,” scornfully  exclaimed  Napoleon,  “I  make  circum- 


566 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


stances.”  But  what  availed  that  indomitable  will,  that 
vehement  self-confidence  in  the  end  ? The  highest 
human  might,  the  most  resistless  human  energy  must 
at  length  meet  a force  with  which  it  cannot  cope,  to 
which,  like  the  smallest  and  most  obscure,  it  must  suc- 
cumb. The  Christian’s  joy  is  to  know  that  this  all- 
controlling force  is  the  will  of  his  all-wise  and  all-loving 
Father ; his  peace  and  strength  are  in  the  believing 
acceptance  of  that  blessed  truth. 

This  is  the  providence  in  which  we  must  believe,  if 
we  believe  in  any  providence  at  all — a providence 
which  includes  not  only  the  prominent  events  of  life, 
but  the  passing  incidents  of  each  day.  Nothing  short 
of  this  embraces  the  truth.  Nothing  short  of  this 
realizes  the  blessing.  It  is  idle  to  say,  as  people  some- 
times do,  that  we  could  conceive  of  a general  super- 
vision and  guidance,  but  cannot  imagine  a direction 
which  extends  to  the  minute  details  of  every  day. 
Does  not  our  experience  teach  us  that  those  small  de- 
tails, seeming  as  they  pass  so  trivial,  are  constantly 
determining  the  larger  results  within  which  they  are 
included?  And  how  could  those  results  be  deter- 
mined, unless  all  the  particulars  which  are  seen  to 
have  served  in  bringing  them  to  pass  were  also  di- 
rected ? 

As  well  might  we  say  that  God,  in  creating  the 
world,  designed  only  the  general  outlines  of  continents 
and  oceans,  and  left  to  the  chance  action  of  natural 
forces  the  details  that  fill  them  in,  while  we  know  that 
upon  these  very  details  the  outlines  themselves  depend. 
It  is  futile  for  us  to  shun  the  name,  special  providence. 


PROVIDENCE. 


567 


and  yet  seek  to  have  the  thing  it  means.  If  there  is 
any  providence  at  all,  there  must  be  special  provi- 
dence. If  our  lives  are  in  any  respect  or  to  any  ex- 
tent controlled  by  God,  they  must  be  controlled  by 
him  completely. 

It  is  hard  — it  is,  here  and  now,  impossible,  and 
doubtless  will  be  always,  for  us  fully  to  grasp  and 
comprehend  such  a doctrine — to  explain  the  “how” 
which  rests  upon  this  “that.”  For  ourselves  we  know 
that  we  could  exercise  no  such  control  as  God’s  provi- 
dence is  thus  seen  to  involve  except  by  absolute  despotic 
direction.  We  cannot,  through  any  experience  of 
which  we  are  capable,  conceive  of  a foresight  so  per- 
fect as  to  embrace  every  possible  emergency,  of  a wis- 
dom so  broad  as  to  provide  for  every  influence,  of  a 
power  so  boundless  as  to  accomplish  its  ends  while 
leaving  its  agents  entire  freedom  of  will — of  an  om- 
niscience, in  short,  so  absolute  and  unerring  as  to 
have  perceived  in  each  case  at  the  outset  the  working 
of  all  the  varied,  conflicting,  wavering  forces  that  act 
on  human  lives,  and  to  have  adjusted  them  to  the 
bringing  about  of  every  event  at  the  desired  moment, 
as  directly  and  as  specially  as  if  Omnipotence  should 
miraculously  intervene  on  each  occasion. 

But  we  need  not  understand  the  method,  in  order 
to  accept  and  rejoice  in  the  fact,  of  God’s  special  provi- 
dence. That  is  true,  if  anything  is  true  that  God’s 
Word  tells  us  about  him,  if  that  Word  is  to  be  trusted 
at  all.  It  remains  for  us  practically  to  cast  all  our  care 
upon  Him  who,  as  He  has  so  plainly  declared,  careth 
for  us. 


568 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


Methinks  I hear  some  say,  we  should  like  to  have 
this  God  for  our  guide.  Blessed  emotion  ! Cherish 
it,  for  it  is  a whisper  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  Use  the 
means  by  which  the  spark  of  holy  desire  shall  kindle 
to  a flame.  Seriously  consider  that  declaration  of 
Jesus  Christ:  “No  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but 
by  me.”  He  who  said  this  is  He  that  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners.  He  saves  them  by  His  death 
endured  on  the  cross  as  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
the  world.  This  death  was  endured  for  us  as  individ- 
uals, and  must  be  applied  to  you  as  an  atonement  for 
your  sins.  Believing  on  Christ  is  the  way  by  which 
you  can  be  at  peace  with  God,  and  there  is  none  other 
way  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we 
must  be  saved. 

In  speaking  of  the  benefits  of  trial  and  suffering* 
we  should  never  forget  that  these  things  by  themselves 
have  no  power  to  make  us  holier  or  heavenlier. 
They  make  some  men  morose,  selfish  and  envious. 
Such  is  the  effect  of  pain  and  sorrow  when  unsanc- 
tified by  God’s  saving  grace.  It  is  only  when  grace 
is  in  the  heart,  when  power  from  above  dwells  in  a 
man,  that  anything  outward  or  inward  turns  to  his  sal- 
vation. 

A sick  father  once  threw  a book  at  his  blind  baby, 
who  was  toddling  towards  the  fire.  If  he  had  not  made 
her  fall  over  the  book,  she  would  have  been  burned ; 
but  she  cried.  She  thought  her  father  was  cruel. 

o 

Sometimes  God’s  blind  children,  not  understanding 
what  he  means,  feel  as  though  he  must  be  cruel.  If 
they  could  see  as  he  can,  they  would  thank  him.  We 


PROVIDENCE. 


5^9 


do  not  know  from  what  evils  we  have  been  preserved  ; 
for  dazzling  prospects  do  not  always  bring  the  cheer 
and  comfort  we  expect,  and  promise  of  future  good 
often  results  in  disappointment  and  sorrow.  There 
are  blessings  and  privileges  in  every  life ; let  us  be 
thankful  for  all  those  which  fall  to  our  lot. 

Once  a little  girl,  on  her  way  to  the  depot,  fell,  hurt 
herself,  missed  the  train.  She  asked  her  mother  if 
God  could  love  her,  and  let  that  sad  thing  happen  to 
her.  But  before  night  that  train  ran  off  the  track  and 
many  persons  on  it  were  killed.  During  the  awful 
massacre  at  Paris,  by  which  so  many  Christians  were 
removed  from  the  present  world,  the  celebrated 
Moulin  crept  into  an  oven,  over  the  mouth  of  which  a 
spider  instantly  wove  its  web;  so  that  when  the  ene- 
mies of  the  Christian  inspected  the  premises,  they 
passed  by  the  oven  with  the  remark,  that  no  one  could 
have  been  there  for  some  days.  So  easily  can  God 
devise  means  for  the  safety  of  His  servants. 

An  incident  is  told  of  the  battle  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain, when  on  a Sabbath  morning  Commodore  Downie, 
of  the  British  squadron,  sailed  down  on  the  Americans 
as  they  lay  in  the  bay  of  Plattsburgh.  Commodore 
Downie  sent  a man  to  the  mast-head  to  see  what  they 
were  doing  on  Commodore  M’Donough’s  ship,  the  flag- 
ship of  the  little  American  squadron. 

“Ho,  aloft!”  said  Downie.  “What  are  they  doing 
on  that  ship?” 

“ Sir,”  answered  the  look-out,  “ they  are  gathered 
about  the  mainmast,  and  they  seem  to  be  at  prayer.” 


5?o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


“Ah,”  said  Commodore  Downie,  “that  looks  well 
for  them,  but  bad  for  us.” 

It  was  bad  for  the  British  commodore,  for  the  very 
first  shot  from  the  American  ship  was  a chain-shot 
which  cut  poor  Downie  in  two  and  killed  him  in  a mo- 
ment. M’Donough  was  a simple,  humble  Christian, 
and  a man  of  prayer,  but  brave  as  a lion  in  the  hour 
of  battle.  He  died  as  he  lived,  a simple-hearted, 
earnest  Christian. 

God  is  a sure  paymaster.  He  may  not  pay  at  the 
end  of  the  week,  month,  or  year ; but  I charge  you 
remember  He  pays  in  the  end. 

Quarrel  not  rashly  with  adversities  not  yet  under- 
stood, and  overlook  not  the  mercies  often  bound  up  in 
them;  for  we  consider  not  sufficiently  the  good  of  evils, 
nor  fairly  compute  the  mercies  of  Providence  in  things 
afflictive  at  first-hand.  Behind  the  snowy  loaf  is  the 
mill-wheel,  behind  the  mill  is  the  wheat-field,  on  the 
wheat-field  falls  the  sunlight,  above  the  sun  is  God. 

Any  close  observer  of  American  politics  must  have 
noticed  instances  wherein  apparently  trivial  circum- 
stances have  changed  the  entire  course  of  events. 
That  Providence  has  overruled  these  apparent  acci- 
dents for  good  must  be  maintained  by  all  who  believe 
in  the  beneficence  of  Deity  and  the  active  part  of 
Providence  in  human  affairs.  Many  times,  however, 
the  immediate  result  has  so  disappointed  the  wishes 
and  hopes  of  the  best  men  and  women,  that  they  are 
tempted  to  believed  that  Providence  for  once  has 
lapsed,  and  forgotten  to  take  charge  of  the  course  of 


PROVIDENCE.  571 

events.  Some  of  these  occasions  are  so  near  that  it 
will  be  hard  with  many  to 

“ Assert  eternal  Providence 
And  justify  the  ways  of  God  to  men.” 

But  there  are  others,  where  the  passions  which  for  a 
time  have  obscured  human  vision  have  passed  away, 
and  revealed  the  hand  of  Providence  so  plainly  visible 
that  even  the  men  who  at  the  time  most  doubted  can 
see  that,  after  all,  God  is  supreme  and  is  ruling  the 
universe  for  good.  To  recall  some  of  these  providential 
paradoxes  which  have  already  righted  themselves 
will  prove  instructive,  and  give  faith  for  the  future. 

Thirty-six  years  ago  thousands  of  patriotic  citizens 
fixed  their  hopes  for  the  country  on  the  election  of 
Henry  Clay  as  president.  It  was  not  to  be.  Fifteen 
thousand  abolitionists  in  New  York  diverted  their 
votes  to  Birney  and  elected  Polk.  The  majority  in 
New  York  State  which  decided  the  result  was  only 
five  thousand  one  hundred  and  six.  So  narrow  was 
the  margin  on  which  the  future  of  the  country  de-  . 
pended.  Yet  to  all  human  foresight  the  abolitionists, 
whose  votes  diverted  from  Clay  had  elected  Polk,  had 
made  a grievous  mistake.  It  hastened  Texas  annexa- 
tion and  made  the  Mexican  war  inevitable.  It  involved 
such  an  aggrandizement  of  slavery  as  sixteen  years 
later  resulted  in  four  years  of  civil  war  and  rebellion 
against  the  Union.  Had  the  Great  Compromiser  been 
chosen  President  in  1844  there  would  have  been  no 
Mexican  war,  and  the  slavery  agitation  would  have 
been  indefinitely  postponed.  Slavery  itself,  with  all  its 
horrors,  might  have  lasted  another  hundred  years,  and 


572 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


have  been  ended  by  a convulsion  even  more  terrible 
than  our  civil  conflict.  Who  shall  say  now  that  the 
defeat  of  Clay,  with  the  sad  after-consequences,  was 
not  better  for  the  country  and  for  the  world  than  any 
other  result  could  have  been  ? The  horrors  of  our 
civil  war  of  four  years  were  less  than  would  have  fol- 
lowed the  indefinite  perpetuation  and  extension  of 
human  slavery. 

It  is  right  enough  for  partisans  of  either  cause  to 
do  their  utmost  for  what  they  regard  as  essential  to 
the  country.  Their  efforts  are  a part  of  the  means 
which  Providence  uses,  and  are  therefore  indispensable. 
But  we  must  remember  that  over  all  God  reigns,  and 
that  Providence  is  able  to  cause  even  the  wrath  of 
man  to  praise  him,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  He  will 
restrain.  Such  a thought  should  most  wholesomely 
restrain  the  violent  excitement,  at  least  of  Christian 
men  and  women,  in  all  political  contests. 

There  is  not  an  unnecessary  thing  in  existence, 
could  we  but  understand  it;  not  one  of  our  experiences 
of  life  but  is  full  of  significance,  could  we  but  see  it. 
Even  misfortune  is  often  the ' surest  touchstone  of 
human  excellence.  The  most  celebrated  poet  of  Ger- 
many has  said  “that  he  who  has  not  eaten  his  bread  in 
tears,  who  has  not  spent  nights  of  pain  weeping  on  his 
bed,  does  not  yet  know  a heavenly  power.”  When 
painful  events  occur,  they  are  perhaps  sent  only  to  try' 
and  prove  us.  If  we  stand  firm  in  our  hour  of  trial, 
this  firmness  gives  serenity  to  the  mind,  which  always 
feels  satisfaction  in  acting  conformably  to  duty. 

Carlyle  says:  “Through  every  star,  through  every 


PROVII  ENCE. 


573 


grass-blade,  and  most  through  every  living  soul,  there 
beams  the  glory  of  a present  God.”  In  what  strange 
ouarries  and  stone-yards  the  stones  for  that  celestial 
wall  are  being  hewn.  Out  of  the  hillsides  of  humili- 
ated pride ; deep  in  the  darkness  of  crushed  despair ; 
in  the  fretting  and  dusty  atmosphere  of  little  cares  ; in 
the  hard,  cruel  contact  that  man  has  with  man;  wher- 
ever souls  are  being  tried  and  ripened,  in  whatever 
commonplace  and  homely  ways — there  God  is  hewing 
out  the  pillars  of  His  temple. 

Prosperity  is  not  without  many  fears  and  distastes, 
and  adversity  is  not  without  comforts  and  hopes.  We 
see  in  needleworks  and  embroideries,  it  is  more  pleas- 
ing to  have  a lively  work  upon  a dark  and  solemn 
ground  than  to  have  a dark  and  melancholy  work 
upon  a lightsome  ground : judge,  therefore,  of  the 
pleasure  of  the  heart  by  the  pleasure  of  the  eye.  Cer- 
tainly virtue  is  like  precious  odors,  most  fragrant  when 
they  are  burned  or  crushed ; for  prosperity  doth  best 
discover  vice,  but  adversity  doth  best  discover  virtue. 

Some  time  ago  a boy  was  discovered  in  the  streets, 
evidently  bright  and  intelligent,  but  sick.  A man  who 
had  the  feeling  of  kindness  strongly  developed,  went 
to  him,  shook  him  by  the  shoulder  and  asked  him  what 
he  was  doing  there. 

“Waiting  for  God  to  come  for  me,”  said  he. 

“ What  do  you  mean  ? ” said  the  gentleman, 
touched  by  the  pathetic  tone  of  the  answer  and  the 
condition  of  the  boy,  in  whose  eye  and  flushed  face  he 
saw  the  evidence  of  fever. 

“ God  has  sent  for  father  and  mother  and  little 


574 


WELL-SPRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


brother,”  said  he,  “ and  took  them  away  to  his  home 
up  in  the  sky,  and  mother  told  me  when  she  was  sick 
that  God  would  take  care  of  me.  I have  no  home,  no- 
body to  give  me  anything,  and  I came  out  here  and 
have  been  looking  so  long  up  in  the  sky  for  God  to 
take  me,  as  mother  said  he  would.  He  will  come, 
won’t  he?  Mother  never  told  a lie.” 

“Yes,  my  lad,”  said  the  man,  overcome  with  emo- 
* tion.  “ He  has  sent  me  to  take  care  of  you.” 

You  should  have  seen  his  eyes  flash  and  the  smile 
of  triumph  break  over  his  face,  as  he  said : 

“ Mother  never  told  a lie,  sir ; but  you  have  been 
so  long  on  the  way.” 

They  who  walk  dejectedly  and  hang  their  harp  on 
the  willows,  must  first  distrust  Providence  and  adver- 
tise God’s  purpose  and  plan  a failure,  and  bar  the  win- 
dows to  the  birds  which,  as  in  spring-time,  come  to 
sing  in  the  soul.  What  many  need,  to  make  the  world 
brighter  and  better,  is  to  swallow  a sunbeam  now  and 
then,  that  there  may  be  more  sunshine  in  the  soul ; to 
come  out  of  the  dark  and  loathsome  cellars  and  old 
ruins,  the  home  of  moles  and  bats,  and  build  on  the 
hilltops,  where  they  can  catch  the  earliest  and  latest 
sunshine,  and  the  songs  of  the  earliest  and  latest  birds 
which  sing.  There  is  cheer  enough  all  about  us  wait- 
ing  to  be  ours,  if  we  will  only  throw  open  the  windows 
and  unbar  the  doors  and  let  it  come  in. 

The  wonder  of  wonders  to  me,  in  the  personal 
dealings  of  God  with  me,  is  the  patience  he  has  had 
with  me!  Oh,  how  he  has  had  to  bear  with  me! 
How  he  has  borne  with  me! 


PROVIDENCE. 


575 


When  I was  in  England,  a lady  told  me  a sweet 
story  illustrative  of  what  it  is  to  have  Christ  between 
us  and  everything  else.  She  said  she  was  wakened 
up  by  a very  strange  noise  of  pecking  or  something  of 
that  kind,  and  when  she  got  up  she  saw  a butterfly 
flying  backward  and  forward  inside  the  window-pane 
in  great  fright,  and  outside  a sparrow  pecking  and  try- 
ing to  get  in.  The  butterfly  did  not  see  the  glass  and 
expected  every  moment  to  be  caught,  and  the  spar- 
row did  not  see  the  glass  and  expected  every  minute 
to  catch  the  butterfly,  yet  all  the  while  that  butterfly 
was  as  safe  as  if  it  had  been  three  miles  away,  because 
of  the  glass  between  it  and  the  sparrow.  So  it  is  with 
Christians  who  are  abiding  in  Christ.  His  presence  is 
between  them  and  every  danger. 

I do  not  believe  that  Satan  understands  about  this 
mighty  and  invisible  power  that  protects  us,  or  else  he 
would  not  waste  his  efforts  by  trying  to  get  us.  He 
must  be  like  the  sparrow — he  does  not  see  it ; and 
Christians  are  like  the  butterfly — they  do  not  see  it, 
and  so  they  are  frightened  and  flutter  backward  and 
forward  in  terror ; but  all  the  while  Satan  cannot 
touch  the  soul  that  has  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  between 
itself  and  him. 

We  are  not  informed  that  when  God  created  the 
world  he  did  not  decorate  every  portion  of  it  alike 
beautiful,  but  we  are  authorized  by  his  word  to  believe 
that  if  any  spot  received  his  peculiar  consideration  that 
was  the  garden  of  Eden. 

There  luxuriated  in  rich  variety  all  the  beauties  of 
nature  which  have  elicited  the  admiration,  and  emraeed 

O 


576 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  attention  of  all  succeeding  ages.  There  the  rose, 
acknowledged  queen  of  flowers,  and  the  lily,  fit 
emblem  of  maiden  purity,  grew  spontaneous.  There 
the  lovely  violet  and  the  humble  forget-me-not  com- 
manded the  same  attention  as  did  the  proud,  majestic 
magnolia,  loftily  waving  its  expansive  foliage  in  the 
pure  atmosphere  of  heaven.  But  when  we  turn  from 
that  consecrated  enclosure  — that  favored  spot  of 
divine  love — all  is  conjecture  and  supposition. 

The  happiest  conclusion  is,  that  when  God  said, 
“Let  the  earth  bring  forth  grass,  the  herb  yielding 
seed,  and  the  fruit-tree  yielding  fruit,”  no  section  of  the 
world  was  more  prominently  regarded  than  another. 
Doubtless,  the  most  sequestered  nooks  and  the  most 
obscure  places  were  then  beautified  and  embellished 
by  the  prettiest  of  flowers;  and  who  will  think  that 
those  flowers  were 

Born  to  blush  unseen, 

And  waste  their  sweetness  on  the  desert  air  ? 

Have  not  the  angels  eyes?  And  did  not  they  look 
down  from  their  happy  homes  in  heaven  and  unite  in 
anthems  of  praise  for  what  the  great  Despenser  of  all 
good  had  done  for  them. 


CHRISTIAN  CHARITY. 


577 


(§>HI^ISYIAN  (©HAI^ITY. 

That  man  may  breathe,  but  never  lives, 

Who  much  receives,  but  nothing  gives  ; 

Whom  none  can  love,  whom  none  can  thank 
Creation’s  blot,  creation’s  blank. 

But  he  that  marks,  from  day  to  day, 

In  generous  acts,  his  radiant  way, 

Treads  the  same  path  the  Saviour  trod. 

The  path  to  glory  and  to  God. 

In  this  age  of  ostentation  and  selfishness  Christian 
charity  has  almost  lost  its  sweet  meaning.  Instead  of 
the  pure,  spontaneous  offering  of  the  heart,  owing  all 
value  to  sentiment,  it  has  become  a humiliating  insult, 
resorted  to  by  the  rich  to  remind  the  poor  of  their  in- 
feriority and  dependence.  Great  attention  to  public 
manifestations  is  no  evidence  that  true  Christian 
charity  exists.  The  most  selfish,  heartless  being  on 
earth,  governed  alone  by  the  rule  of  self-interest,  re- 
gardless of  the  responsibility  devolving  on  every  indi- 
vidual to  contribute  to  the  comfort  of  the  indigent,  to 
“ clothe  the  naked  and  feed  the  hungry,”  can  converse 
as  glibly  of  relieving  distress  as  though  it  were  the 
fragrant  breathing  of  a benevolent  heart. 

Men  look  upon  their  acts  of  mercy,  as  things 
purely  voluntary,  that  they  have  no  obligation  to  ; and 
the  effect  of  it  is  this,  that  they  are  apt  to  think  very 
highly  of  themselves,  when  they  have  performed  any, 
though  never  so  mean,  but  never  blame  themselves, 
though  they  omit  all : which  is  a very  dangerous, 
but  withal  a very  natural  fruit  of  the  former  per- 
suasion. If  there  be  any  charities,  wherein  justice  is 
37 


578 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


not  concerned,  they  are  those  which  for  the  height  and 
degrees  of  them  are  not  made  matter  of  strict  duty, 
that  is,  are  not  in  those  degrees  commanded  by  God. 
And  even  after  these,  it  will  be  very  reasonable  for  us 
to  labor ; but  that  cannot  be  done  without  taking  the 
lower  and  necessary  degrees  in  our  way;  and  there- 
fore let  our  first  care  be  for  them. 

We  are  not,  however,  considering  superficial  or 
affected  charity,  but  that  which  had  its  origin  in 
heaven  ; that  which  suffereth  long,  envieth  not,  vaunt- 
eth  not  itself,  seeketh  not  its  own,  thinketh  no  evil,  and 
rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity ; that  which  beareth  all  things, 
believeth  all  things  good,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth 
all  things,  for  righteousness  sake. 

Our  Master  blessed  the  poor;  His  faith  led  Him 
among  the  lowly  of  the  earth.  He  did  not  undertake 
to  do  His  work  by  proxy,  but  He  came  Himself  and  asso- 
ciated with  men  in  their  low  estate  ; visited  them  and 
talked  with  them;  comforted  them,  fed  them  when 
hungry,  healed  them  when  sick,  and  thus  not  only  min- 
istered blessings  to  those  who  were  in  temporal  need, 
but  also  bore  our  sicknesses,  carried  our  sorrows,  and 
was  made  “perfect  through  suffering,”  and  now, 
“touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,”  He  knows 
how  to  sympathize  with  those  that  are  in  trouble  and 
distress. 

And  He  sends  His  disciples  to  be  His  representa- 
tives in  works  of  mercy  on  the  earth,  and  teaches  them 
that  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.  As  He 
was,  so  are  we  in  this  world;  and  to  those  who  sit  in  sad- 
ness, solitary  and  distressed ; to  the  poor  and  to  them 


CHRISTIAN  CHARITY. 


579 


that  have  no  helpers;  to  those  who  say  in  their  de- 
spairing hours,  “ There  is  no  God  and  no  helper,”  He 
would  have  us  go,  and  with  the  warmth  of  Christian 
friendship  and  the  sympathy  that  is  born  from  above, 
prove  to  them  that  God  still  lives,  that  Christ  still  loves, 
that  there  is  blessing  and  mercy  in  store  for  the  lost, 
that  there  are  hearts  that  feel  for  their  sorrows,  and 
eyes  that  weep  for  their  woes;  and  that  they  have  but 
to  enter  into  the  fellowship  of  the  family  of  God  to 
find  welcome  and  blessing  more  than  we  can  tell,  which 
shall  crown  their  earthly  lives  with  abiding  joy,  and  lit 
them  for  the  eternal  bliss  of  the  world  that  is  to  come. 

Every  miracle  that  Christ  did  was  an  act  of  mercy, 
and  designed  to  cure  as  well  as  to  convince.  “He 
went  about  doing  good ;”  he  conversed  among  men 
like  a walking  balm,  breathing  health  and  recovery 
wheresoever  he  came. 

Charity  is  the  twin  sister  of  humility,  and  they 
reciprocally  strengthen  each  other,  subduing  all  malice, 
all  hypocrisy,  and  all  evil  speaking,  spontaneously  sug- 
gesting all  that  is  forgiving,  candid  and  compassionate ; 
striving  always  to  think  others  better  than  themselves ; 
never  severe  on  the  frailties  of  others,  because  all  are 
frail ; declaiming  not  on  a mote  in  another’s  eye,  be- 
cause none  are  exempt  from  flaws. 

Genuine  charity  leads  its  possessor  to  scenes  of 
poverty,  misery  and  crime,  gives  simplicity  to  the  char- 
acter, levels  the  differences  of  the  mind  and  station, 
facilitates  a mutual  flow  of  affection,  and  teaches  the 
important  truth  that  the  efficacy  of  means  of  useful- 
ness depends  not  on  their  imposing  and  expensive 


5So 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


character,  but  upon  their  skillful  and  earnest  appli- 
cation. 

Charity  glorifies  humanity.  Its  synonyn  is  love. 
It  goes  forth  to  meet  the  wants  and  necessities  of  the 
sorrow-stricken  and  oppressed.  Wherever  there  is 
cruelty,  or  ignorance,  or  misery,  sympathy  stretches 
forth  its  hand  to  console  and  alleviate.  The  sight 
of  grief,  the  sound  of  a groan,  takes  hold  of  the  sym- 
pathetic mind,  and  will  not  let  it  go.  Out  of  char- 
ity and  justice  some  of  the  greatest  events  of  mod- 
ern times  have  emanated.  Need  we  mention  the  abo- 
lition of  slavery  in  England,  America  and  France;  the 
education  of  the  untaught ; the  spread  of  Sunday 
schools;  the  efforts  of  the  spread  of  temperance;  the 
leveling  up  of  the  down-trodden  classes,  in  which  men 
and  women  of  the  best  classes  take  so  much  interest  ? 

There  is  room  for  the  sympathetic  help  of  all.  He 
who  loves  God  loves  his  neighbor — poor  or  rich — and 
cannot  fail  to  be  just,  true  and  merciful.  “The  just 
man,”  said  Massillon,  “ is  above  the  world,  and  supe- 
rior to  all  events.  All  creatures  are  subject  to  him. 
and  he  subject  unto  God  alone.”  To  tend  the  sick, 
to  visit  the  widow  and  fartherless  in  their  afflictions,  to 
set  on  foot  or  to  help  in  the  schemes  of  benevolence, 
in  elevating  the  poor — all  this  needs  diligence,  merci- 
fulness and  love. 

Many  women,  young  and  old,  nobly  devote  them- 
selves to  work  such  as  this.  They  go  into  the  courts 
and  alleys  of  our  towns  and  cities,  and  nurse  those 
who  might  lie  and  die  but  for  their  services.  Neither 
their  hands  nor  their  minds  are  stained  by  performing 


CHRISTIAN  CHARITY. 


581 


the  humblest  and  most  repelling  offices  for  their  suffer- 
ing fellow-creatures.  Need  we  mention  the  work  of 
Mrs.  Walker  among  the  poor  girls  in  Poplar,  Miss 
Octavia  Hill  in  the  West  End  courts,  Mrs.  Vickars 
among  the  fallen  women  at  Brighton,  Miss  Robinson 
among  the  soldiers  at  Portsmouth?  It  must  be  con- 
fessed that  these  are  exceptional  workers,  and  that 
the  world  is  still  crowded  with  the  helpless,  the  fallen, 
the  poor  and  the  destitute,  without  any  help. 

We  have  lately  had  taken  from  us  Mary  Carpenter, 
a true  sister  of  charity.  In  the  course  of  her  active 
life  she  devoted  herself  to  the  reclamation  of  the 
neglected  poor.  She  founded  and  superintended  a 
reformatory  institution  in  Bristol,  the  success  of  which 
proved  a revelation  to  the  country  at  large.  Armed 
with  purity  of  purpose,  she  went  into  courts  and  alleys 
through  which  a policeman  could  scarcely  walk.  The 
horrors  of  the  back  slums  were  opened  to  her  sight. 
Nothing  daunted,  nothing  disgusted  her.  She  obtained 
the  children  for  her  Ragged  Schools  from  these  miser- 
able  quarters.  She  went  to  work  with  an  intrepidity 
equal  to  that  of  John  Howard  himself.  Her  pen  was 
always  at  work,  keeping  the  subject  continually  before 
the  public.  At  length  she  won  a great  victory,  for  the 
Government  adopted  her  project,  and  established  re- 
formatory and  industrial  schools,  which  have  done  so 
much  for  the  abandoned  classes.  There  are  thousands 
of  men  in  our  army  and  navy,  and  in  all  our  industries, 
who  have  reason  to  bless  the  name  of  Mary  Carpenter. 
Age  did  not  stay  her  merciful  work.  In  her  sixtieth 
year  she  went  out  to  India,  to  plant  the  seeds  of  her 


582 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


educational  system  in  the  Eastern  world.  She  paid  in 
all  four  visits  to  India — the  last  being  in  1876,  when 
she  was  approaching  her  seventieth  year.  She  lived 
to  see  the  fruits  of  her  labors  springing  up  in  all  direc- 
tions— in  a generation  of  men  and  women,  who,  but 
for  her,  would  have  been  left  in  the  surrounding's  of 
vice  and  crime.  What  can  be  said  of  such  women 
and  of  their  noble  sisters  in  such  self-denying  labors, 
but  that  they  constitute  the  honor  and  hope  of  the 
human  race  ? 

Always  proportion  thy  charity  to  the  strength  of 
thy  estate,  lest  God  proportion  thy  estate  to  the 
weakness  of  thy  charity.  Let  the  lips  of  the  poor 
be  the  trumpet  of  thy  gift,  lest  in  seeking  applause 
thou  lose  thy  reward.  Nothing  is  more  pleasing  to 
God  than  an  open  hand  and  a closed  mouth.  So 
far  is  charity  from  impoverishing,  that  what  is  given 
away,  like  vapors  emitted  from  the  earth,  returns  in 
showers  of  blessing  into  the  bosom  of  the  person  that 
gave  it,  and  his  offering  is  not  the  worse,  but  infinitely 
better  for  it.  Money  spent  on  myself  may  be  a mill- 
stone about  my  neck  ; money  spent  on  others  may 
give  me  wings  like  the  eagles. 

It  is  heaven  upon  earth  to  have  a man’s  mind  move 
in  charity,  rest  in  providence,  and  turn  on  the  poles  of 
truth.  True  charity  consists  not  so  much  in  doing 
what  our  hands  find  to  do,  as  doing  it  cheerfully. 
Christian  charity  does  not  embrace  the  individual,  who, 
with  sin  unrepented  of,  boldly  demands  its  sympathy 
and  respect.  The  divinity  of  charity  consists  in  reliev- 
ing a man’s  needs  before  they  are  forced  upon  us. 


CHRISTIAN  CHARITY.  583 

What  a blessed  inspiration  that  led  to  the  writing 
of  these  lines: 

Trust  not  to  each  accusing  tongue, 

As  most  weak  persons  do; 

But  still  believe  that  story  false 
Which  ought  not  to  be  true. 

Could  we  all  act  fully  upon  this  motto,  how  many 
heartaches  and  saddened  lives  would  be  saved. 

We  take  the  following  suggestive,  pleasing  and 
useful  thoughts  from  a very  old  book,  called  “ The 
Whole  Duty  of  Man,”  and  would  commend  the  peru- 
sal of  the  whole  volume  to  all  persons  who  can  obtain  it. 

“ But  there  is  yet  a farther  excellency  of  this  grace  ; 
it  guards  the  mind  and  secures  it  from  several  great 
and  dangerous  vices  ; as  first,  from  envy.  This  is  by 
the  apostle  taught  us  to  be  the  property  of  charity. 

“ And  indeed  common  reason  may  confirm  this  to 
us ; for  envy  is  a sorrow  at  the  prosperity  of  another, 
and  therefore  must  needs  be  directly  contrary  to  that 
desire  of  it  which  we  showed  before  was  the  effect  of 
love : so  that  if  love  bear  sway  in  the  heart,  it  will  cer- 
tainly chase  out  envy.  How  vainly  then  do  these  pre- 
tend to  this  virtue,  that  are  still  grudging  and  repining 
at  every  good  hap  of  others  ? 

“ It  is  true,  if  this  virtue  were  to  be  exercised  but 
towards  some  sort  of  persons,  it  might  consist  with 
malice  to  others,  it  being  possible  for  a man  that  bit- 
terly hates  one,  to  love  another.  But  we  are  to  take 
notice  that  this  charity  must  not  be  so  confined,  but 
must  extend  and  stretch  itself  to  all  men  in  the  world, 
particularly  to  enemies,  or  else  it  is  not  that  divine 
charity  commended  to  us  by  Christ.  The  loving  of 


584 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


friends  and  benefactors  is  so  low  a pitch  that  the  very 
publicans  and  sinners,  the  worst  of  men,  were  able  to 
attain  to  it.  And  therefore  it  is  not  counted  reward- 
able  in  a disciple  of  Christ ; no,  he  expects  we  should 
soar  higher  and  therefore  hath  set  us  this  more  spiritual 
and  excellent  precept  of  loving  our  enemies,  and  who- 
ever does  not  thus,  will  never  be  owned  by  him  for  a 
disciple.  We  are  therefore  to  conclude  that  all  which 
has  been  said  concerning  this  charity  of  the  affections, 
must  be  understood  to  belong  as  well  to  our  spiteful 
enemy  as  our  most  obliging  friend. 

“ If  one  whom  we  know  to  be  an  innocent  person 
be  slandered  and  traduced,  charity  binds  us  to  do 
what  we  may  for  the  declaring  his  innocency,  and  de- 
livering him  from  that  false  imputation,  and  that  not 
only  by  witnessing  when  we  are  called  to  it,  but  by  a 
voluntary  offering  our  testimony  on  his  behalf ; or  if 
the  accusation  be  not  before  a court  of  justice,  and  so 
there  be  no  place  for  that  our  more  solemn  testimony, 
but  that  it  be  only  a slander  tossed  from  one  to 
another,  yet  even  there  we  are  to  do  what  we  can  to 
clear  him,  by  taking  all  occasions  publicly  to  declare 
what  we  know  of  his  innocency.  But  even  to  the 
guilty  there  is  some  charity  of  this  kind  to  be  per- 
formed, sometimes  by  concealing  the  fault,  if  it  be  such 
that  no  other  part  of  charity  to  others  make  it  neces- 
sary to  discover  it,  or  it  be  not  so  notorious  as  that 
it  will  be  sure  to  betray  itself.  The  wounds  of  reputa- 
tion are  of  all  others  the  most  incurable,  and  therefore 
it  may  well  become  Christian  charity  to  prevent  them, 
even  where  they  have  been  deserved ; and  perhaps 


CHRISTIAN  CHARITY. 


585 


such  a tenderness  in  hiding  the  fault  may  sooner  bring 
the  offender  to  repentance,  if  it  be  seconded  (as  it 
ought  to  be)  with  all  earnestness  of  private  admoni- 
tion. But  if  the  fault  be  such,  that  it  be  not  to  be 
concealed,  yet  still  there  may  be  place  for  this  charity, 
in  extenuating  it  and  lessening  it  as  far  as  the  circum- 
stances will  bear.  As,  if  it  were  done  suddenly  and 
rashly,  charity  will  allow  some  abatement  of  the  cen- 
sure, which  would  belong  to  a designed  and  deliberate 
act ; and  so  proportionably  in  other  circumstances. 
But  the  most  frequent  exercises  of  this  charity  happen 
towards  those,  of  whose  either  innocency  or  guilt  we 
have  no  knowledge,  but  are  by  some  doubtful  actions 
brought  under  suspicion.  And  here  we  must  remem- 
ber, that  it  is  the  property  of  love,  not  to  think  evil,  to 
judge  the  best;  and  therefore  we  are  both  to  abstain 
from  uncharitable  conclusions  of  them  ourselves,  and 
as  much  as  lies  in  us,  to  keep  others  from  them  also, 
and  so  endeavor  to  preserve  the  credit  of  our  neigh- 
bor; which  is  oftentimes  as  much  shaken  by  unjust 
suspicions,  as  it  would  be  by  the  truest  accusation.” 

Pure  in  her  aims  and  in  her  temper  mild ; 

Her  wisdom  seems  the  wisdom  of  a child. 

She  makes  excuses  when  she  might  condemn  ; 

Reviled  by  those  who  hate  her,  prays  for  them. 

Suspicion  lurks  not  in  her  artless  breast — • 

The  worst  suggested  she  believes  the  best. 

Not  soon  provoked,  however  stung  and  teased, 

And,  if  perchance  made  angry,  soon  appeased; 

She  rather  waives,  than  will  dispute  her  right, 

And,  injured,  makes  forgiveness  her  delight. 

Cowper, . 


586 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


©HE  ^OI^LD’S  ¥) OPE. 

Have  you  a hope  of  heaven  ? Then  you  are  rich. 
When  Alexander  was  preparing-  for  his  famous  Per- 
sian expedition,  he  gave  away  the  most  of  his  crown 
possessions.  He  was  asked  what  he  had  kept  for  him- 
self. “ My  hopes,”  he  said.  Oh,  how  rich  we  are  if 
we  have  a hope  of  heaven  through  the  Saviour!  Every- 
thing may  go  but  that,  and  all  will  go  at  death,  and  yet 
you  can  say  you  are  rich  in  your  hopes. 

Hope  in  God  produces  cheerfulness.  It  sees  a sil- 
ver lining  to  every  dark  cloud,  a certain  victory  in 
every  fierce  battle,  a joyful  harvest  amid  the  dull  cares 
of  seed-time,  eternal  life  beyond  death’s  dark,  repulsive 
river,  rest  to  succeed  the  weariness  of  toil,  and  crowns 
of  splendor  for  the  dust-covered  pilgrim.  Hope  won- 
derfully invigorates  the  spirit  when  it  takes  hold  of  the 
tearless,  sorrowless,  deathless  world  to  come. 

Said  one  who  was  eminent  for  his  piety:  “I  have 
known  what  the  enjoyment  and  advantages  of  this  life 
are,  and  what  the  more  refined  pleasures  which  learn- 
ing and  intellectual  power  can  bestow,  and  with  all  the 
experience  that  threescore  years  can  give,  I now,  on 
the  eve  of  my  departure,  declare  to  you  that  health  is 
a great  blessing ; that  competence  gained  by  honest 
industry  is  a great  blessing;  and  a great  blessing  it  is 
to  have  kind,  faithful  and  loving,  friends  and  relatives; 
but  the  greatest  of  all  blessings,  as  it  is  the  most 
ennobling  of  all  privileges,  is  to  be,  indeed,  a Christian,” 


THE  WORLD’S  HOPE. 


587 


“The  life  of  Christianity,”  said  Luther,  “ consists 
in  possessive  pronouns.”  It  is  one  thing  to  say,  “Christ 
is  a Saviour;”  it  is  quite  another  to  say,  “He  is  my 
Saviour  and  my  Lord.”  The  devil  can  say  the  first ; 
the  true  Christian  alone  can  say  the  second.  The 
human  soul  has  the  conviction,  however  dim  and  un- 
formed it  may  be,  that  God  is,  and  that  He  is  the 
rewarder  of  those  who  diligently  seek  Him.  Faith  in 
God  is  the  acceptance  of  this  conviction.  It  is  a con- 
scious, voluntary  act,  whereby  the  soul  passes  out  of 
its  isolation  into  a fellowship  with  God. 

It  is  easy  for  people  to  say  they  do  not  believe  in 
Christianity — that  is,  in  its  corruptions ; but  the  spirit 
of  it  has  so  permeated  our  modern  world  that  many  a 
fierce  skeptic  is  a good  Christian  without  knowing  it. 
He  can  deny  but  he  cannot  get  away  from  the  influence 
of  that  divine  morality  which  Christians  recognize  as 
their  sun  of  righteousness.  It  may  not  shine — mists 
may  obscure  it,  so  that  one  is  prone  to  doubt  its  very 
existence ; but  wfithout  it,  daylight  would  not  be  there. 

What  thou  shouldst  appear  before  God,  that  should 
God  appear  to  thee ! He  who  is  kind  and  gentle  and 
of  great  compassion,  requires  the  meek,  the  kind,  the 
humble  and  compassionate.  Love  him  who  drew  thee 
from  the  lake  of  misery  and  from  the  miry  clay. 
Choose  him  for  thy  friend  above  all  friends,  who,  when 
thou  art  bereft  of  all  things,  can  alone  remain  to  thee. 
In  the  day  of  thy  burial,  when  every  friend  is  gone,  he 
will  not  forsake  thee,  but  will  defend  thee  from  devour- 
ing foes,  lead  thee  through  an  unknown  region,  bring 
thee  to  the  streets  of  the  heavenly  Zion,  and  place  thee 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


5S8 

with  angels  in  the  presence  of  his  majesty,  where  thou 
shalt  hear  the  angelic  melody,  Holy,  holy,  holy!  There 
is  the  chant  of  gladness,  there  the  voice  of  exultation 
and  salvation,  of  thanksgiving  and  praise  and  perpetual 
hallelujah ! There  is  accumulated  bliss  and  super- 
eminent  glory ! 

Ancient  history  speaks  of  two  brothers,  one  of 
whom  found  guilty  of  a heinous  crime,  was  condemned 
to  death  and  about  to  be  led  forth  to  execution  ; the 
other,  patriotic  and  brave,  had  signalized  himself  in  the 
service  of  his  country,  and  had  lost  a hand  in  obtain- 
ing an  illustrious  victory  for  the  state.  Just  as  the 
sentence  of  condemnation  was  pronounced  upon  his 
unhappy  brother,  he  entered  the  court  and  silently 
raised  his  handless  arm  in  view  of  all.  The  judges 
saw  it,  arrested  the  execution  and  pardoned  the  guilty 
one  for  the  sake  of  the  service  and  the  sufferings  of 
his  heroic  brother.  So  may  not  our  elder  Brother,  as 
He  appears  in  our  nature  before  the  throne,  silently 
and  efficiently  plead  for  us  by  the  very  scars  he 
bears  ? 

Christianity  does  not  consist  in  a proud  priesthood, 
a costly  church,  an  imposing  ritual,  a fashionable 
throng,  a pealing  organ,  loud  responses  to  the  creed 
and  reiterated  expressions  of  reverence  for  the  name 
of  Christ,  but  in  the  spirit  that  was  in  Jesus,  the  spirit 
of  filial  trust  in  God,  and  ardent,  impartial,  overflowing 
love  to  man.  Christ  presents  no  harsh  front,  pre- 
scribes no  fearful  ordeal.  He  is  better  than  law  or 
church.  He  appears  as  divine  love  ; and  offers  you 
immediate  safety  in  his  arms.  This  is  acting  like  a 


THE  WORLD’S  HOPE.  589 

God.  Meet  his  invitation  with  your  faith,  and  so  act 
like  a man  made  in  the  image  of  God. 

There  is  many  a wounded  heart  without  a contrite 
spirit.  The  ice  may  be  broken  into  a thousand  pieces 
— it  is  ice  still ; but  expose  it  to  the  beams  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  and  then  it  will  melt.  The  cross  is  the 
only  ladder  high  enough  to  touch  Heaven’s  threshold. 
It  was  the  remark  of  John  Newton,  when  his  memory 
had  almost  completely  gone,  that  he  could  never  forget 
two  things:  First,  that  he  was  a great  sinner;  Second, 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  a great  and  mighty  Saviour. 

We  are  explicitly  taught,  however,  that  we  cannot 
do  any  thing  which  will  enable  us  to  inherit  eternal 
life.  We  can  do  no  thing  but  receive  the  grace  of  God, 
which  brings  salvation.  The  condition  of  the  accep- 
tance of  the  grace  of  God  is  not  doing  any  thing  to 
bring  salvation,  but  it  is  the  receiving  of  the  offered 
grace  of  God  which  brings  salvation.  The  very  per- 
formance of  the  condition,  therefore,  is  a virtual  sur- 
render to  the  sovereign  mercy  of  God,  in  order  to  the 
soul’s  salvation  at  the  hand  of  a merciful  God. 

We  claim  rightfully,  rationally,  the  choice  of  our 
destiny.  And  there  is  an  appeal  to  our  reason  by  the 
powerful  motive  of  love — a love  that  is  life.  A Sav- 
iour is  ready,  able  and  willing  to  redeem  us.  Will  we 
accept?  Will  we  choose  Him  and  live?  Will  we 
make  our  election  sure?  Will  we  save  our  souls? 
Shall  the  great  reprieve  that  props  our  house  of  clay 
be  ours  in  vain  ? Shall  the  love  of  God,  as  exhibited 
to  us  in  the  glorious  plan  of  salvation,  be  ours  in  vain  ? 
O let  us  save  our  souls! 


590 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


‘ For  what  is  a man  profited  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world  and  loose  his  own  soul ! ” 

The  desire  felt  by  every  one  for  bliss  which  cannot 
be  realized  on  earth,  is  a sure  proof  of  the  soul’s  immor- 
tality ; it  is  in  vain  to  endeavor  to  satiate  its  yearnings 
with  earthly  pleasures,  riches  or  honors. 

Says  the  Rev.  Charles  Spurgeon:  “Brethren, 

believe  in  the  power  of  the  cross,  for  the  conversion  of 
those  around  you.  Do  not  say  of  any  man,  that  he 
cannot  be  saved.  The  blood  of  Jesus  is  omnipotent. 
Do  not  say  of  any  district  that  it  is  too  sunken,  or  of 
any  class  of  men  that  they  are  too  far  gone.  The 
word  of  the  cross  reclaims  the  lost.  Believe  it  to  be 
the  power  of  God  and  you  shall  find  it  so.  Believe  in 
Christ  crucified,  and  preach  boldly  in  His  name,  and 
you  shall  see  great  things  and  gladsome  things.  Let 
no  man’s  heart  fail  him!  Christ  hath  died!  Atone- 
ment is  complete!  God  is  satisfied!  Peace  is  pro- 
claimed! Heaven  glitters  with  proofs  of  mercy,  already 
bestowed  upon  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand! 
Hell  is  trembling,  Heaven  adoring,  Earth  waiting. 
Advance,  ye  saints  to  certain  victory!  You  shall 
overcome  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.” 

Field  joining  field,  waving  and  laden  with  autumn’s 
golden  grain:  Minerva  standing  by,  industriously, 
gloriously  analyzing,  compounding,  increasing,  com- 
manding the  power  of  wealth;  there  rising  in  the 
majesty  of  her  own  queenly  power,  to  gather  and 
control  productive  industry  from  still  brighter  fields, 
of  larger  dimensions  and  nobler  range,  in  yonder  star 
lit  vault  whose  Husbandman  giveth  the  increase ; 


THE  WORLD’S  HOPE. 


591 


increasing,  producing,  expanding,  in  the  proudest 
nobility  of  man  ! — this  were  a higher  happiness  than 
earth  has  ever  known,  and  yet  it  were  vanity;  for  the 
grolden  bowl  is  broken  at  the  fountain,  the  daughter  of 
music  laid  low,  and  man  goeth  to  his  long  home. 
Depravity — universal  and  destructive  depravity — the 
demon  spirit  that  rears  its  altars  at  the  expense  of 
every  earthly  good,  and  then  brings  as  its  oblation 
purity  and  hope,  which  it  consumes  with  fiendish 
delight,  has  made  a wreck  of  human  happiness  ; and 
the  undying  part  of  man  unsatisfied  by  mere  temporal 
good,  weeps  with  agonizing  bitterness  over  the 
mockery  of  life.  Nor  does  death  itself,  the  end  of  all 
things  sublunary,  dispel  its  anguish;  upon  the  graves 
of  the  departed  it  keeps  its  nightly  vigils  and  its 
eternal  moanings. 

When  did  the  turbid  tide  of  life  roll  at  the  com- 
mand of  kings,  or  the  crown'  of  the  dead  give  security 
to  the  heir  ? The  wealth  of  the  world,  the  wisdom  of 
Solomon,  and  the  power  of  crowned  heads  combined  ! 
— they  dwindle  into  insignificance  when  put  in  the 
balance  with  the  immortal  spirit  of  man.  “As  the 
mortal  to  the  immortal  ; as  the  dead  to  the  living!” 

Wisdom  is  powerless  to  attempt  the  measure  of  an 
argument.  “ For  what  shall  a man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul?” 

Nothing  is  worth  a thought  beneath, 

But  how  I may  escape  the  death 
That  never,  never  dies. 

This  great  preparation  of  the  soul  should  be  the  grand 
object  of  human  pursuit. 

The  minister  must  be  faithful.  He  is  set  for  the 


592 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


defense  of  die  truth.  Men  are  to  learn  of  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Bible  from  the  pulpit.  They  have  no  other 
means  of  knowing — no  means  that  they  will  lay  hold 
of.  They  will  not  study  the  Bible  for  themselves. 
Hence  their  dependence  upon  the  pulpit.  And  the 
reason  why — one  of  the  reasons,  surely,  why  there  is 
such  a low  type  of  spiritual  and  moral  life  among  men 
is  because  there  is  such  a low  and  imperfect  standard 
of  Bible  knowledge  among  the  people.  Doctrine  and 
life  are  closely  related.  Doctrine  is  the  aliment  by 
which  the  life  is  sustained.  As  good  food  puts  sound, 
solid  muscle  upon  the  bony  structure  of  the  system, 
giving  to  the  external  form  beauty  and  symmetry,  even 
so  doctrine,  when  digested,  assimilated,  rounds  out  the 
Christian  character  into  perfectional  symmetry,  and 
causes  us  to  grow  into  Christ,  our  living  Head. 

While  Christianity  is  essentially  a life,  it  is  so  be- 
cause it  is  a doctrine  as  well.  In  experience,  it  is  a 
doctrine  before  it  becomes  a life.  It  is  a life,  because 
it  is  a doctrine.  The  distinction  which  we  often  hear 
made  between  doctrinal  and  practical  preaching  is 
mostly  a figment.  No  preaching  can  be  effective  nor  in 
any  high  sense  practical,  unless  it  have  a strong  infusion 
of  doctrine,  which  must  be  to  our  sermons  what  bone 
is  to  the  body,  what  rock  is  to  the  mountain,  what  prin- 
ciple is  to  life — their  solidity  and  strength.  The  pulpit 
that  does  not  deal  judiciously  in  doctrine,  that  in  these 
times  of  prevailing  error  and  loose  thinking  does  not 
set  itself  for  the  defense  of  the  truth,  does  not  earnestly 
contend  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and 
grapple  and  match  itself  with  the  questions  of  the  day*. 


THE  WORLD’S  HOPE. 


593 


which  arc  assailing  “ the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,”  will  be 
like  a man  all  muscle  and  adipose,  or  a hillock  of  sand, 
that  is  being  washed  away  by  every  storm  that  beats 
upon  it. 

The  chief  purpose  of  Christian  knowledge  is  to 
promote  the  great  end  of  Christian  life.  This  knowl- 
edge is  best  acquired  and  the  duties  consequent  on  it 
best  performed  by  reading  books  of  plain  piety  and 
practical  devotion,  and  not  by  entering  into  the  endless 
feuds  and  engaging  in  the  unprofitable  contentions  of 
partial  controversialists.  Nothing  is  more  unamiable 
than  the  narrow  spirit  of  party  zeal ; nor  is  anything 
more  disgusting  than  to  hear  a man  deal  out  judg- 
ments, and  denounce  anathemas  against  any  one  who 
happens  to  differ  from  him  in  some  opinion,  perhaps 
of  no  real  importance,  and  which,  it  is  probable,  he  may 
be  just  as  wrong  in  advocating  as  the  object  of  his  cen- 
sure is  in  rejecting. 

John  Muller,  a learned  Swiss  writer,  was  deeply 
engaged  in  historical  studies  at  Cassel,  in  the  year 
1 782.  Indefatigable  in  research,  he  wrote  to  his  friend, 
Charles  Bonnet,  the  naturalist,  that  he  had  studied  all 
the  ancient  authors  without  one  exception,  in  the  order 
of  time  in  which  they  lived,  and  he  had  not  omitted  to 
take  note  of  a single  remarkable  fact.  Among  other 
works  it  occurred  to  him  to  glance  at  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  we  give  in  his  own  words  the  impression  it 
produced  upon  him : 

“ How  shall  I express  what  I have  found  here?  I had 
not  read  it  for  many  years,  and  when  I began  I was  pre- 
judiced against  it.  The  light  which  blinded  Paul  in  his 
38 


594 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH, 


journey  to  Damascus  was  not  more  prodigious  or 
more  surprising  to  him  than  what  I suddenly  discov- 
ered was  to  me — the  accomplishment  of  every  hope, 
the  perfection  of  all  philosophy,  the  explanation  of  all 
revolutions,  the  key  of  all  the  apparent  contradictions 
of  the  material  and  moral  world,  of  life  and  im- 
mortality. I see  the  connection  of  all  the  revolutions 
in  Europe  and  Asia  with  that  suffering  people  to  whom 
were  committed  the  promises.  I see  religion  appear- 
ing at  the  moment  most  favorable  to  its  establishment, 
and  in  the  way  most  likely  to  promote  its  reception. 
The  world  appearing  to  be  arranged  solely  with  refer- 
ence to  the  religion  of  the  Saviour ; I can  understand 
nothing-  if  such  a religion  be  not  from  God.  I have 
not  read  any  books  about  it;  but  in  studying  all  that 
happened  before  this  epoch,  I have  always  found  some- 
thing wanting;  and  since  I have  known  our  Lord,  all 
is  clear  to  my  sight;  with  him,  there  is  no  problem  that 
I cannot  solve.  Forgive  me  for  thus  praising  the  sun, 
as  a blind  man  who  has  suddenly  received  the  gift  of 
sight.” 

The  effects  of  the  work  of  Christ  are  even  to  the 
unbeliever  indisputable  and  historical.  It  expelled 
cruelty ; it  curbed  passion  ; it  branded  suicide ; it 
punished  and  repressed  an  execrable  infanticide  ; it 
drove  the  shameless  impurities  of  heathendom  into  a 
congenial  darkness.  There  was  hardly  a class  whose 
wrongs  it  did  not  remedy.  It  rescued  the  gladiator,  it 
freed  the  slave,  it  protected  the  captive,  it  nursed  the 
sick,  it  sheltered  the  orphan,  it  elevated  the  woman,  it 
shrouded  as  with  a halo  of  sacred  innocence  the  tender 


THE  WORLD’S  HOPE. 


595 


years  of  the  child.  In  every  region  of  life  its  ameliorat- 
ing influence  was  felt.  It  changed  pity  from  a vice 
into  a virtue.  It  elevated  poverty  from  a curse  into  a 
beatitude.  It  ennobled  labor  from  a vulgarity  into  a 
dignity  and  a duty.  It  sanctified  marriage  from  little 
more  than  a burdensome  convention  into  little  less 
than  a blessed  sacrament.  It  revealed  for  the  first 
time  the  angelic  beauty  of  a purity  of  which  men  had 
despaired,  and  of  a meekness  at  which  they  had  utterly 
scoffed.  It  created  the  very  conception  of  charity,  and 
broadened  the  limits  of  its  obligation  from  the  narrow 
circle  of  a neighborhood  to  the  widest  horizons  of  a 
race. 

And  while  it  thus  involved  the  idea  of  humanity  as 
a common  brotherhood,  even  where  its  tidings  were 
not  believed — all  over  the  world,  wherever  its  tidings 
were  believed  it  cleansed  the  life  and  elevated  the  soul 
of  each  individual  man.  And  in  all  lands  were  it  has 
moulded  the  characters  of  its  true  believers  it  has 
created  hearts  pure,  and  lives  peaceful,  and  homes 
sweet. 

Let  your  refuge  be  wholly  built  up  of  divine  truth. 
Do  not  try  to  comfort  yourself  with  a lie.  Dear 
friend,  let  truth  be  all  in  all  to  you.  Counterfeit  coin 
enriches  no  man.  Have  nothing  to  do  with  false  and 
flattering  teachings.  If  your  hope  is  not  built  on  solid, 
substantial  matters  of  fact,  give  it  up,  and  get  one  that 
is.  If  your  hope  of  being  saved  depends  on  a dream, 
or  a voice  you  thought  you  heard  in  the  air,  or  some 
other  such  nonsense,  put  it  away.  Build  upon  your 
Lord’s  life,  death  and  resurrection ; build  upon  God’s 


596 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


promises  ; build  by  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  with 
faith,  and  you  shall  have  the  reward  of  eternal  life. 
In  a word,  rest  on  Jesus,  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  made 
flesh,  and  bleeding  to  the  death  for  man;  build  on  his 
complete  work  and  there  only,  and  then  if  winds  blow 
and  waters  rage  you  shall  be  safe,  safe  forever. 

Fathers  on  earth  cannot  always  help  us ; they  are- 
on  our  level ; themselves  enfeebled  and  perplexed. 
But  when  Jesus  says,  “Say,  Our  Father  which  art  in 
Heaven,”  he  raises  our  view  to  the  greatness  and  the 
power  of  God.  There,  in  heaven,  he  has  leisure  to 
help  us.  He  has  the  infinite  perfection  that  leaves 
him  free  to  bear  the  burden  of  others.  He  has  the 
resources  from  which  he  can  supply  our  need,  and  the 
place  of  vantage  from  which  he  can  influence  all  that 
happens. 

“ Say  what  you  will,”  says  Dr.  Martineau,  “ of  the 
failures  and  errors  of  Christian  enthusiasm,  no  zeal 
which  you  might  deem  more  rational  has  done  half  as 
much  for  suffering  humanity.  When  it  has  missed  its 
own  ends,  it  has  reached  others  to  which  no  colder 
zeal  would  ever  have  addressed  itself.  But  for  the 
church,  where  would  have  been  the  school  in  Christen- 
dom ? But  for  the  missionary  army,  baffled  and 
beaten  as  it  has  often  been,  where  would  the  advanc- 
ing lines  of  civilization  have  stood,  which  are  every- 
where reducing  the  barbarism  of  the  world  ? But  for 
the  reverence  felt  for  the  souls  of  men,  how  long 
should  we  have  had  to  wait  for  the  various  forms  of 
pity  and  healing  for  the  body?  Christians  may  have 
attempted  many  foolish  things  ; but  who  have  effected 


THE  WORLD’S  HOPE. 


597 


more  wise  ones  ? They  may  have  said  too  much  of 
despising  the  world;  but  who  have  done  more  to 
render  it  habitable?”  And  again,  “If  once,  among 
the  poorest,  the  living  springs  of  religion  are  touched, 
and  a family  becomes  God-fearing,  a transformation 
forthwith  sets  in;  the  rags  disappear;  the  furniture 
returns ; the  sickness  abates ; the  children  brighten  ; 
the  quarrels  cease ; the  hard  times  are  tided  over 
better  than  before ; and  sorrow,  once  dull  and  sullen, 
is  alive  with  hope  and  trust.” 

Mr.  Spurgeon  says  that  he  was  once  in  a crowded 
court-room  when  the  Judge  directed  that  a Mr.  Brown 
should  be  called  as  a witness.  The  crier  shouted  out 
“ Mr.  Brown  ! ” The  name  was  passed  out  into  the 
crowded  lobby  and  to  the  street,  “ Brown — Brown.” 
Presently  a little,  insignificant  man  came  pushing 
through  the  throng,  and  some  one  said,  “Who  are 
you  ? ” He  replied,  “ I am  Brown.”  “ Who  is  that  ? ” 
“Nobody,”  replied  the  little  man,  “only  that  1 was  told 
to  corned  So  every  human  being  that  carries  an  immor- 
tal soul  in  his  breast — be  he  a coal-heaver  or  a scullion 
— has  a right  to  say,  “ I was  told  to  come.”  Jesus  died 
on  Calvary  for  this  very  purpose.  The  meaning  of  his 
last  pathetic  cry  on  the  cross  was — redemption  is  fin- 
ished, and  every  sinner  may  come  and  be  saved.  Old 
School  and  New  School,  Calvinist  and  Wesleyan, 
agree  in  this,  that  no  man  need  perish  for  want  of  an 
atonement. 

In  the  Celestial  home  there  will  be  no  sadness,  for 
God  himself  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  the  eyes  of 
His  saints.  The  wailings  of  despair  will  there  be 


598 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


changed  to  the  triumphant  songs  of  praise.  All  will 
strike  their  golden  harps  to  the  sweetest  melody,  and 
will  be  clothed  in  spotless  garments,  all  will  bear  the 
conquering  palm,  all  wear  a victor’s  crown. 

Y)  eai^’s-Case. 

It  is  the  secret  sympathy. 

The  silver  link,  the  silken  tie, 

Which  heart  to  heart,  and  mind  to  mind, 

In  body  and  in  soul  can  bind. 

Sir.  W.  Scott. 

Great  injury  is  done  to  the  interests  of  religion, 
by  placing  it  in  a gloomy  and  unamiable  light.  It  is 
sometimes  spoken  of  as  if  it  would  actually  make  a 
handsome  woman  ugly,  or  a young  one  wrinkled.  But 
can  anything  be  more  absurd  than  to  represent  the 
beauty  of  holiness  as  the  source  of  deformity? 

It  is  a strange  notion  which  prevails  in  the  world, 
that  religion  only  belongs  to  the  old  and  the  melan- 
choly, and  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to  pay  the  least 
attention  to  it,  while  we  are  capable  of  attending  to 
anything  else.  When  the  senses  are  palled  with  ex- 
cessive gratification  ; when  the  eye  is  tired  with  seeing 
and  the  ear  with  hearing;  when  the  spirits  are  so  sunk, 
that  “the  grasshopper  is  become  a burden,”  how  shall 
the  blunted  apprehension  be  capable  of  understanding 
a new  science,  or  the  worn-out  heart  be  able  to  relish 
a new  pleasure. 

When  the  saintly  Payson  was  dying,  he  exclaimed, 


heart’s-ease. 


599 


% 


“ I long  to  hand  a full  cup  of  happiness  to  every  human 
being.”  This  was  the  language  of  a heart  thoroughly 
purged  of  all  selfish  affection,  and  filled  with  the  spirit 
of  that  love  which  led  our  adorable  Jesus  to  give  his 
life  for  human  redemption. 

If  every  Christian  would  go  out  daily  among  men 
filled  with  such  longing  for  human  happiness  what 
marvelous  changes  would  soon  be  wrought  in  human 
society ! The  selfish  element  would  be  eliminated 
from  the  dealings  of  the  Christian  business  man.  Not 
justice  merely,  but  benevolence  would  enter  into  his 
everyday  trade.  The  same  spirit  would  rule  his  home 
and  church  life.  He  would  become  an  incarnation  of 
good  will  towards  all,  and  would  so  preach  the  gospel 
by  his  deeds  that  men  would  see  his  good  works  and 
glorify  his  Heavenly  Father.  The  spirit  of  Payson  is 
worthy  of  every  man’s  imitation.  Happy  he  who  can 
truthfully  say,  “I  long  to  hand  a cup  of  happiness  to 
every  human  being.” 

Why  should  we  insist  on  bearing  our  own  cares, 
when  God  is  ready  to  bear  them  for  us  ? Why  do  we 
magnify  them,  and  multiply  them,  and  brood  over 
them,  as  if  in  so  doing  we  could  relieve  ourselves  or 
make  them  seem  fewer  and  lighter?  Let  us  go  with 
them  at  once  to  him,  knowing  that  it  is  as  self-righteous 
to  keep  our  cares  as  our  sins  from  him.  Let  us  go  to 
him  with  thanksgiving  as  well  as  prayer.  Oh,  how 
thanksgiving  lightens  all  burdens  and  scatters  all 
shadows ! How  quickly  care  leaves  us  when  we 
rebuke  it  with  “Bless  the  Lord,  O my  soul!” 

There  never  was  a man  or  woman  converted,  from 


4 

600  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

one  end  of  die  world  to  the  other,  who  did  not  love 
the  revealed  will  of  God.  Just  as  a child  born  into 
the  world  desires  naturally  the  milk  provided  for  its 
nourishment,  so  does  a soul  born  again  desire  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  Word.  There  is  a common  mark 
of  all  the  children  of  God ; they  “ delight  in  the  law  of 
the  Lord.” 

The  difficulty  which  most  people  have  in  religion 
is  to  bring  the  thought  of  ' God  into  their  daily  lives. 
His  very  greatness  makes  it  hard  to  connect  Him  with 
homely,  every-day  matters.  We  get  some  sense  of 
Him  in  church,  or  in  the  prayer-meeting,  or  in  rare 
hours  of  exalted  feeling.  But  when  we  go  into  the 
busy  world,  where  most  of  our  life  is  spent,  God  fades 
away  into  a heaven  that  is  farther  off  than  the  blue  sky 
above  our  heads. 

This  is  a great  loss  to  us.  It  is  neglect  on  our 
part  of  our  highest  opportunity.  God  walks  with  us, 
in  closest  nearness,  at  every  moment.  There  is  in 
Him,  if  we  could  learn  to  take  it,  a provision  of  help- 
fulness, of  sympathy,  of  sufficiency,  for  every  step  in 
the  whole  round  of  our  daily  life.  The  very  things 
that  seem  insignificant  and  without  spiritual  meaning 
are  set  around  us  by  God  as  a part  of  our  education. 
And  if  we  habitually  recognize  his  presence  in  them 
all,  the  incidents  of  business,  and  our  household  care 
and  daily  walk  would  become  threads  of  gold,  holding 
us  in  the  sweetest,  noblest  friendship  with  our  Heav- 
enly Father.  How  it  would  smooth  family  friction, 
and  scatter  clouds  of  discontent,  to  yield  to  the  infalli- 
ble Disposer  of  all  events ! How  would  sorrow  be 


TRUTH 


heart’s-ease. 


601 


soothed  and  softened,  if  the  Comforter,  instead  of 
being  an  occasional  guest,  dwelt  in  our  homes,  an 
abiding,  real  presence. 

As  the  ivy  twines  around  the  oak,  so  does  misery 
and  misfortune  encompass  the  happiness  of  man. 
Felicity,  pure  and  unalloyed  felicity,  is  not  a plant  of 
earthly  growth  ; her  gardens  are  the  skies.  A loving 
confidence  in  the  God  we  have  offended  is  the  key  to 
his  heart,  the  key  which  unlocks  the  treasury  of  his 
grace.  Make  a journey  every  day  to  three  mountains. 
Go  to  Sinai,  and  see  your  sins  ; go  to  Calvary  and  be- 
hold the  Lamb  of  God ; go  to  Zion  and  view  the 
heavenly  city.  We  cannot  live  on  probabilities.  The 
faith  in  which  we  can  live  bravely  and  die  in  peace 
must  be  a certainty,  so  far  as  it  professes  to  be  a faith 
at  all,  or  it  is  nothing. 

“Consolation  ! ” There  is  music  in  the  word.  Like 
David’s  harp,  it  charms  away  the  spirit  of  melancholy. 
It  was  a distinguished  honor  to  Barnabas  to  be  called 
the  “son  of  consolation.”  Nay,  it  is  one  of  the  illus- 
trious names  of  a greater  than  Barnabas,  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  is  “ the  consolation  of  Israel.”  “ Everlasting 
consolation.”  Here  is  the  cream  of  all,  the  spikenard 
very  precious,  for  the  eternity  of  comfort  is  the  crown- 
ing glory  of  it.  This  makes  an  estate  worth  having, 
when  a man  may  hold  its  fee  simple  in  perpetuity  for- 
ever. A man  works  to  make  money,  and  after  toiling 
hard  he  finds  himself  the  owner  of  it,  and  it  is  a con- 
solation to  him ; but  it  is  not  an  everlasting  consola- 
tion, for  he  may  lose  or  he  may  spend  all  his  treasure, 


602 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


or  he  may  be  compelled  to  leave  it.  It  cannot  be,  at 
best,  more  than  a temporary  consolation. 

A man  toils  hard  for  knowledge.  He  acquires  it; 
he  becomes  an  eminent  scholar  ; his  name  is  famous — 
this  is  a consolation  to  him  for  all  his  toil.  But  it  can- 
not last  long;  for  when  he  feels  the  headache,  or  the 
heartache,  his  degrees  and  his  diplomas  cannot  cheer 
him.  Or  should  his  soul  become  a prey  to  despond- 
ency, he  may  turn  over  many  a learned  tome  before 
he  will  find  a balm  for  a broken  heart. 

All  earth-born  consolations  are  in  their  essence 
fleeting,  and  in  their  existence  short-lived.  They  are 
brilliant  and  evanescent  as  the  rainbow  hues  of  a soap- 
bubble.  But  as  to  the  consolations  God  gives  to  His 
people,  they  fade  not,  neither  do  they  lose  their  fresh- 
ness. They  can  stand  all  tests — the  shock  of  trial,  the 
flames  of  persecution,  the  lapse  of  years ; nay,  they 
can  even  endure  death  itself.  What  is  this  “everlasting 
consolation”?  It  includes  a sense  of  pardoned  sin. 
A Christian  man  has  received  in  his  heart  the  witness 
of  the  Spirit  that  his  iniquities  are  put  away  like  a 
cloud,  and  his  transgressions  like  a thick  cloud.  Union 
to  the  risen  Lord  is  a consolation  of  the  most  abiding 
order — it  is  in  fact  “ everlasting  consolation.”  And 
this  consolation,  this  “ heart’s  ease,”  can  be  seen  in  the 
face  of  such  a redeemed  soul,  as  surely  as  the  sunshine 
can  be  seen  upon  the  face  of  the  waters.  We  have 
in  our  illustration  the  face  of  one  who  has  evidently 
sat  long  at  the  feet  of  the  Master,  as  did  Mary,  and 
there  has  drunk  of  His  Spirit. 

The  question  whether  God  exists  is  simply  the 


HEART  S-EASE. 


603 

question  whether  all  things  in  the  universe  are  gov- 
erned by  the  forces  of  wisdom  and  goodness — and 
thus  that  every  combination  of  circumstances  will  be 
made  to  issue  in  the  highest  good.  When  we  are  in 
trouble,  it  is  hard  to  answer  this  question  with  a con- 
fident affirmative.  We  tremble  lest  the  evil  should 
be  triumphing,  lest  ignorance  and  malevolence  may  not, 
after  all,  be  the  dominant  principles  in  the  universe. 
But  despair  is  blank  atheism  ; it  is  an  abandonment  of 
belief  in  the  rule  of  wisdom  and  goodness.  Even 
anxiety  partakes  of  this  error; — it  is  a question- 
ing whether,  after  all,  there  be  what  we  call  God. 
But  if  a man  truly  and  fully  believes  that  all  the  affairs 
of  the  universe  are  controlled  by  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, he  cannot  be  troubled  in  mind,  however  dark 
may  be  the  immediate  prospect. 

Men  may  create  philosophies,  they  may  turn  the 
gospel  itself  into  a cold  abstraction,  but  the  practical 
truth  remains  that  the  Christ  who  saves,  comforts,  and 
lifts  the  intolerable  burden  of  sorrow  or  of  sin,  comes 
now  as  of  old — comes  as  a living,  loving,  personal 
presence,  human  in  sympathy,  divine  in  power.  Our 
need  and  our  consciousness  of  it  form  our  strongest 
claim  upon  Him  and  the  best  preparation  for  Him. 

Try  to  take  cheerful  views  of  divine  things.  Dwell 
on  your  mercies.  Look  at  the  bright  as  well  as  the 
dark  sides.  Do  not  cherish  gloomy  thoughts.  Mel- 
ancholy is  no  friend  to  devotion.  It  greatly  hin- 
ders the  usefulness  of  many.  It  falls  upon  a con- 
tented life  like  a drop  of  ink  on  white  paper,  which  is 
not  the  less  stain  because  it  carries  no  meaning  with  it. 


604  well-springs  of  truth. 

Let  your  soul  rove  through  the  truths  of  Scripture 
as  the  happy  herds  through  the  green  pastures. 

The  great  distinction  between  the  religion  revealed 
in  the  Gospel  and  all  other  religions  known  to  the 
world  is  that  it  comes  as  precious  balm  to  the  broken- 
hearted. No  religion  ever  appeared  in  the  world 
whose  natural  tendency  was  so  much  directed  to  pro- 
mote the  peace  and  happiness  of  mankind.  It  makes 
right  reason  a law  in  every  possible  definition  of  the 
word.  And  therefore,  even  supposing  it  to  have  been 
purely  a human  invention,  it  had  been  the  most  amia- 
ble and  the  most  useful  invention  that  was  ever 
imposed  on  mankind  for  their  good. 

“ Let  him  that  would  live  well,”  said  Plato,  “ attain 
to  truth,  and  then,  and  not  before,  he  will  cease  from 
sorrow.” 

Seneca  says,  “ He  must  be  miserable  who  does  not 
consider  himself  happy,  although  he  could  command 
the  universe ; no  man  can  be  happy  who  does  not 
think  himself  so,  for  it  signifies  not  how  exalted  soever 
your  station  may  be,  if  it  appears  to  you  bad.  The 
great  blessings  of  mankind  are  within  us  and  within 
our  reach,  but  we  shut  our  eyes,  and  like  people  in  the 
dark  we  fall  foul  upon  the  very  thing  we  search  for, 
without  finding  it.”  “ Contentment,”  says  Addison, 
“produces,  in  some  measure,  all  those  effects  which 
the  alchemist  usually  ascribes  to  what  he  calls  the  Phi- 
losopher’s Stone  ; and  if  it  does  not  bring  riches,  it 
does  the  same  thing  by  banishing  the  desire  of  them.” 

A peace  worth  all  the  specious  goods  which  this 
world  has  at  its  disposal  will  ever  be  found  in  a simple 


HEART’ S-EASE. 


605 


and  contented  mind,  in  an  affectionate  heart,  and  in  a 
pure  and  honorable  life.  Contentment  is  also  better 
than  luxury  or  power ; indeed  it  is  natural  wealth. 
Mary,  sister  of  Elizabeth,  often  wished  that  she  had 
been  born  a milkmaid  instead  of  a queen.  She  would 
have  been  saved  the  torture  of  unrequited  love,  and 
the  degradation  of  power  through  the  hands  of  her 
ministers.  Many  martyrs  would  have  been  saved  from 
burning. 

Miracles  of  grace  are  for  saints  as  well  as  sinners  ; 
feeble  minds  can  be  strengthened  and  crutches  thrown 
away.  We  ought  to  grow  out  of  the  feebleness  of  our 
spiritual  childhood.  We  should  cry  to  God  for  grace 
that  we  might  get  up  “ into  the  hill  country  ” of  holy 
confidence,  and  there,  like  Mary,  sing,  “ My  soul  doth 
magnify  the  Lord.”  Oh,  that  we  might  all  attain  to 
assurance,  yea,  to  the  full  assurance  of  understanding, 
so  that  we  should  know  why  and  wherefore  we  are 
thus  assured,  and  so  become  rooted,  grounded  and 
settled  in  the  faith,  for  then  nothing  would  by  any 
means  remove  us  from  the  truth,  or  even  move  us  in 
the  truth. 

Many  Christians  cannot  fix  the  precise  date  of  their 
conversion.  The  new  life  came  to  them  as  the  dawn 
comes — darkness  slowly  giving  place  to  steel  gray, 
and  steel  gray  to  silver,  and  the  silver  reddening  into 
ruddy  gold,  and  all  so  quietly  and  steadily  that  we  could 
not  fix  the  precise  birth-moment  of  the  day. 

As  the  ice  upon  the  mountains,  when  the  warm 
breath  of  the  summer  sun  breathes  upon  it,  melts  and 
divides  into  drops,  each  of  which  reflects  an  image  of 


6o6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  sun  ; so  life,  in  the  smile  of  God’s  love,  divides 
itself  into  separate  forms,  each  bearing  in  it  and  reflect- 
ing an  image  of  God’s  love. 


“How  carefully,”  says  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  “we 
should  cherish  the  little  graces  which  spring  up  at  the 
foot  of  the  Cross!”  When  asked,  “What  graces  do 
you  mean?  ” he  replied,  “ Humility,  patience,  meekness, 
benignity,  bearing  one  another’s  burdens,  condescension, 
cordiality,  compassion,  forgiving  injuries,  simplicity, 
candor — all,  in  short,  of  that  sort  of  little  graces.”  It  is 
a high  Christian  duty  to  be  cheerful.  Christian  cheer- 
fulness is  a grace,  and  it  is  also  a means  of  grace.  But, 
mind  you,  cheerfulness  and  levity  are  very  different 
things.  Perseverance  is  good,  patience  is  better, 
meekness  is  best.  The  diamond,  in  whatever  direction 
it  is  turned,  is  equally  brilliant,  equally  attractive,  nor 
requires  to  be  placed  in  a certain  position  to  exhibit 
its  matchless  lustre.  So  should  the  Christian  shine. 
Grace  tried  is  better  than  grace,  and  it  is  more  than 
grace  ; it  is  glory  in  its  infancy. 

Bacon  says:  “As  those  wines  which  flow  from 

the  first  treading  of  the  grapes  are  sweeter  and  better 


Ghi^istian  Graces, 


I ask  Thee  for  a thoughtful  love, 
Through  constant  watching  wise, 


A heart  at  leisure  from  itself, 

To  soothe  and  sympathize. — Miss  Waring. 


CHRISTIAN  GRACES.  607 

chan  those  forced  out  by  the  press,  which  gives  them 
the  roughness  of  the  husk  and  the  stone,  so  are  those 
doctrines  best  and  sweetest  which  flow  from  a gentle 
crush  of  the  Scriptures  and  are  not  wrung  into  con- 
troversies and  commonplaces.” 

The  grace  of  prosperity  is  temperance  ; the  grace 
of  adversity  is  fortitude.  A man’s  true  wealth  is  the 
good  he  does  in  the  world  to  his  fellow-men.  Our 
influence  is  measured  and  expressed  by  example.  We 
can  lead  others  no  farther  than  we  go  ourselves. 

“ It  is  an  introspection,”  says  Canon  Mosely,  “ on 
which  all  religion  has  been  built.  Man  going  into 
himself  and  seeing  the  struggle  within  him,  and  thence 
getting  self-knowledge,  and  thence  the  knowledge  of 
God.”  Under  this  influence  man  knows  and  feels 
what  is  right  and  wrong.  He  has  the  choice  between 
good  and  evil.  And  because  he  is  free  to  choose,  he 
is  responsible.  When  Christ  implants  the  well  of 
living  water  in  a man’s  heart,  it  will  not  have  merely 
a refreshing  influence,  but  a cleansing  and  purifying 
effect.  If  there  be  none  of  the  latter  the  absence  of 
the  living  water  may  well  be  argued. 

Hence  the  imperative  necessity  of  growing  in  grace, 
as  grace  alone  will  give  the  nourishment  that  life  de- 
mands. And  if  Christ’s  work  thus  abounds  in  you,  there 
will  be  no  failure  of  its  fruitage  in  outward  every-day 
life.  You  can  never  be  barren  fig-trees,  to  which  your 
Master  shall  come  for  fruit  and  find  nothing  thereon 
but  leaves.  I never  saw  a Christian  who  was  really 
growing  in  grace  who  did  not  show  it  in  his  life.  Such 
lives  never  run  in  stereotyped  grooves.  The  humblest 


6o8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  them  have  a bent  and  power  all  their  own.  And 
when  I see  Christian  men  and  women  folding  their 
hands  in  despair  after  fruitless  struggling,  and  com- 
plaining that  all  the  threads  of  life  are  hopelessly 
tangled,  that  they  cannot  get  a clew  from  one  of  them 
to  follow  out  to  noble  ends,  I cannot  but  think  that 
they  have  started  from  the  wrong  point,  that  they  have 
tried  to  do  the  work  of  Jesus  out  in  the  world  without 
first  seeing  to  it  that  that  work  was  sufficiently  matured 
in  their  own  hearts  to  furnish  them  with  the  inspiration 
and  the  cl'ew  needed  to  carry  it  on. 

There  are  moments  in  life  when  the  power  of 
reasoning  concerning  the  morality  of  our  actions  seems 
lost — when  the  waves  of  sorrow  or  passion  seem  to 
engulf  the  judgment  and  leave  us  at  the  mercy  of  our 
emotions.  At  such  times  what  is  to  become  of  the 
soul  if  it  has  no  fixed  principle — no  standards  of  right 
and  wrong,  which,  in  hours  of  calm  reflection,  have 
been  determined,  and  received  into  the  heart  as  truths 
never  to  be  questioned? 

Adherence  to  principle  is  far  removed  from  obsti- 
nacy, the  latter  being  founded  on  selfishness,  while  the 
former  is  often  maintained  by  the  very  crucifixion  of 
self,  and  frequently  exists  in  the  gentlest  natures. 

Christianity  means  honesty.  It  means  fairness  and 
squareness  in  dealing.  It  means  following  the  golden 
rule  as  closely  as  erring  man  can  do  so.  It  does  not 
mean  the  unfair  taking  advantage  for  the  sake  of  a 
few  paltry  dollars.  It  means  the  doing  of  what  a man 
believes  to  be  right,  though  the  heavens  fall.  There 
cannot  be  a secret  Christian.  Grace  is  like  ointment 


CHRISTIAN  GRACES.  609 

hid  on  the  hand;  it  betrayeth  itself.  If  you  truly  feel 
the  sweetness  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  you  will  be  con- 
strained to  confess  Christ  before  men. 

Conscience  is  permanent  and  universal.  It  is  the 
very  essence  of  individual  character.  It  gives  a man 
self-control — the  power  of  resisting  temptations  and 
defying  them.  It  is  conscience  alone  which  sets  a man 
on  his  feet,  frees  him  from  the  dominions  of  his  own 
passions  and  propensities.  It  places  him  in  relation 
to  the  best  interests  of  his  kind.  The  truest  source  of 
enjoyment  is  found  in  the  paths  of  duty  alone.  En- 
joyment will  come  as  the  unbidden  sweetener  of  labor, 
and  crown  every  right  work. 

At  its  fullest  growth,  conscience  bids  men  do  what- 
ever makes  them  happy  in  the  highest  sense,  and  for- 
bear doing  whatever  makes  them  unhappy.  “ There 
are  few  if  any  among  civilized  people,”  says  Herbert 
Spencer,  “who  do  not  agree  that  human  well-being  is 
in  accord  with  the  divine  will.  The  doctrine  is  taught 
by  all  our  religious  teachers ; it  is  assumed  by  every 
writer  on  morality ; we  may,  therefore,  safely  consider 
it  an  admitted  truth.” 

Without  conscience  a man  can  have  no  higher 
principle  of  action  than  pleasure.  He  does  what  he 
likes  best,  whether  it  be  sensuality  or  even  sensuous 
intellectual  enjoyment. 

In  order  to  grow  in  grace  we  must  be  much  alone. 
It  is  not  in  society — even  Christian  society — that  the 
soul  grows  most  vigorous.  In  one  single  quiet  hour 
of  prayer  it  will  often  make  more  progress  than  in 

days  of  company  with  others.  It  is  in  the  desert 
39 


6io 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


that  the  dew  falls  freshest  and  the  air  is  purest.  Prac- 
tice to  make  God  thy  last  thought  at  night  when  thou 
sleepest,  and  thy  first  thought  in  the  morning  when 
thou  awakest ; so  shall  thy  fancy  be  sanctified  in  the 
night,  and  thy  understanding  be  rectified  in  the  day; 
so  shall  thy  rest  be  peaceful  and  thy  labors  pros- 
perous. 

Look  into  the  life  and  temper  of  Christ  described 
and  illustrated  in  the  gospel,  and  search  whether  you 
can  find  anything  like  it  in  your  own  life.  Have  you 
anything  of  His  humility,  meekness  and  benevolence 
to  men?  Anything  of  His  purity  and  wisdom,  His 
contempt  of  the  world,  His  patience,  His  fortitude,  His 
zeal  ? It  is  not  the  man  who  gives  his  money  that  is 
the  true  benefactor  of  his  kind,  but  the  man  who  gives 
himself.  The  man  who  gives  his  money  is  advertised  ; 
the  man  who  gives  his  time,  strength  and  soul  is  be- 
loved. The  one  may  be  remembered,  while  the  other 
may  be  forgotten,  though  the  good  influence  he  has 
sown  will  never  die. 

Mackenzie  says:  “I  have  observed  one  ingredient 
somewhat  necessary  in  a man’s  composition  towards 
happiness,  which  people  of  feeling  would  do  well  to 
acquire — a certain  respect  for  the  follies  of  mankind ; 
for  there  are  so  many  fools  whom  the  world  entitles  to 
regard,  whom  accident  has  placed  in  heights  of  which 
they  are  unworthy,  that  he  who  cannot  restrain  his 
contempt  or  indignation  at  the  sight  will  be  too  often 
quarreling  with  the  disposal  of  things  to  relish  that 
share  which  is  allotted  to  himself.” 

It  is  only  the  incorrigible  egotist  or  the  self-satisfied 


CHRISTIAN  GRACES. 


61 1 

Pharisee  who  does  not  lament  his  lack  of  knowledge 
and  his  immaturity  in  grace.  There  is  an  Eastern 
story  of  a sultan  who  overslept  himself,  so  as  not  to 
awaken  at  the  hour  of  prayer.  So  the  devil  came  and 
waked  him  and  told  him  to  get  up  and  pray.  “Who 
are  you?  ” said  the  sultan.  “Oh,  no  matter,”  replied 
the  other.  “My  act  is  good,  is  it  not?  No  matter  who 
does  the  good  action  so  long  as  it  is  good.”  “Yes,” 
replied  the  sultan,  “ but  I think  you  are  Satan.  I know 
your  face ; you  have  some  bad  motive.”  “ But,”  says 
the  other,  “I  am  not  so  bad  as  I am  painted.  You  see 
I have  left  off  my  horns  and  tail.  I am  a pretty  good 
fellow  after  all.  I was  an  angel  once  and  I still  keep 
some  of  my  original  goodness.”  “ That’s  all  very 
well,”  replied  the  sagacious  and  prudent  caliph,  “ but 
you  are  the  tempter ; that’s  your  business ; and  I wish 
to  know  why  you  want  me  to  get  up  and  pray.” 
“Well,”  said  the  devil,  with  a flirt  of  impatience,  “if 
you  must  know,  I will  tell  you.  If  you  had  slept  and 
forgotten  your  prayers,  you  would  have  been  sorry  for 
it  afterwards,  and  penitent ; but  if  you  go  on  as  now 
and  do  not  neglect  a single  prayer  for  ten  years,  you 
will  be  so  satisfied  with  yourself  that  it  will  be  worse 
for  you  than  if  you  had  missed  one  sometimes  and 
repented  of  it.  God  loves  your  fault  mixed  with  peni- 
tence more  than  your  virtue  seasoned  with  pride.” 

A Christian  is  always  on  the  perch  or  on  the  wing ; 
he  is  always  reposing  in  God  or  in  flight  after  him,  and 
the  latter  is  as  good  an  evidence  of  religion  as  the 
former ; for  delight  is  not  only  a part  of  complacency 
and  affection,  but  also  fear,  complaint,  desire — fear  of 


612  well-springs  of  truth. 

losing  the  object ; complaint  of  our  enjoying  so  little  of 
it ; desire  to  attain  and  feel  more. 

Active  and  sympathetic  contact  with  man  in  the 
transactions  of  daily  life  is  a better  preparation  for 
healthy,  robust  piety  than  any  amount  of  meditation 
and  seclusion.  What  Swedenborg  said  about  vowing 
poverty  and  retiring  from  the  world  in  order  to  live 
more  to  heaven,  seems  reasonable  and  true.  “ The  life 
that  leads  to  heaven,”  he  said,  “ is  not  a life  of  retire- 
ment from  the  world,  but  of  action  in  the  woidd.  A life 
of  charity,  which  consists  in  acting  sincerely  and  justly 
in  every  enjoyment  and  work,  in  obedience  to  the 
Divine  law,  is  not  difficult;  but  a life  of  piety  alone  is 
difficult,  and  it  leads  away  from  heaven  as  much  as  it. 
is  commonly  believed  to  lead  to  it.” 

Once  it  was  a wide-spread  notion  that  growth  in 
piety  required  entire  withdrawal  from  the  pressure 
and  concerns  of  the  world.  This  was  a serious  mis- 
take. In  our  busy,  stirring  times,  we  are  greatly 
tempted  to  err  in  the  opposite  direction.  While  striv- 
ing to  let  our  light  shine  before  men,  we  are  in  danger 
of  forgetting  to  feed  our  lamp  with  holy  oil.  With  our 
many  opportunities  for  social  worship,  we  may  let  that 
which  is  public  answer  all  things,  to  the  exclusion  of 
the  private  services  of  religion.  Amidst  our  abundant 
facilities  for  instruction  in  righteousness  in  our  mul- 
tiplied assemblies,  we  may  overlook  quiet,  devotional 
study ; we  may  be  tempted  to  let  our  public  exercises 
in  examining  the  word  pass  for  private  meditation, 
which  is  a precious  means  of  digesting  and  assimilat- 
ing holy  truth. 


CHRISTIAN  GRACES. 


613 

While  we  may  be  faithful  not  to  forget  the  assem- 
bling of  ourselves  together,  we  may  fail  to  regard  the 
importance  of  holding  communion  with  the  Lord  in 
secret.  While  uniting  our  influence  and  contributions 
in  a great  fund  for  extensive  good,  we  are  in  danger 
of  underrating  the  value  and  effectiveness  of  indivi- 
dual acts  of  Christian  affability  and  charity  ; as  though 
while  we  contemplated  with  awe  the  force  of  the  aval- 
anche, we  should  fail  to  think  of  the  individual  snow- 
flakes that  compose  the  majestic  mass.  Piety  has  no 
less  a private  life  than  a public  sphere.  At  the  same 
time  that  we  confess  the  communion  of  saints,  there  is 
no  less  certainly  an  individual  communion  with  God. 
Let  us  be  careful  that  we  become  not  partial  or  one- 
sided in  our  religious  views  and  practices.  If  our 
light  is  not  to  be  hidden  under  a bushel,  neither  must 
we  neglect  the  private  carefulness  that  keeps  the 
lamp  well-trimmed  and  burning. 

The  Christian  hero  is  not  incited  by  any  such  deeds 
of  daring  as  the  soldier  hero.  The  arena  on  which  he 
acts  is  not  that  of  aggression  or  strife,  but  of  suf- 
fering and  self-sacrifice.  No  stars  glitter  on  his  breast, 
no  banners  wave  over  him.  And  when  he  falls,  as  he 
often  does,  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  he  receives 
no  nation’s  laurels,  no  pompous  mournings,  but  only 
the  silent  dropping  of  tears  over  his  grave. 

Man  is  not  made  for  fame  or  glory  or  success; 
but  for  something  higher  and  greater  than  the  world 
can  give.  “ God  hath  given  to  man,”  says  Jeremy 
Taylor,  “a  short  time  here  upon  earth,  and  yet  upon 
this  short  time  eternity  depends.  We  must  remember 


614  well-springs  of  truth. 

that  we  have  many  enemies  to  conquer,  many  evils  to 
prevent,  much  danger  to  run  through,  many  difficulties 
to  be  mastered,  many  necessities  to  be  served,  and 
much  good  to  do.” 

Here  is  a fine  specimen  of  honesty  and  truthful- 
ness on  the  part  of  a poor  German  peasant.  Bernardin 
de  Saint  Pierre  has  told  the  story  in  his  “ Etudes  de  la 
Nature.”  He  was  serving  as  an  engineer  under  the 
Count  de  Saint  Germain  during  his  campaign  in  Hesse, 
in  1760.  For  the  first  time  he  became  familiar  with 
the  horrors  of  war.  Day  by  day  he  passed  through 
sacked  villages  and  devastated  fields  and  farm-yards. 
Men,  women  and  children  were  flying  from  their  cot- 
tages in  tears.  Armed  men  were  everywhere  destroy- 
ing the  fruits  of  their  labor,  regarding  it  as  part  of 
their  glory.  But  in  the  midst  of  so  many  acts  of 
cruelty,  Saint  Pierre  was  consoled  by  a sublime  trait 
of  character  displayed  by  a poor  man  whose  cottage 
and  farm  lay  in  the  way  of  the  advancing  army. 

A captain  of  dragoons  was  ordered  out  with  his 
troop  to  forage  for  provisions.  They  reached  a poor 
cabin  and  knocked  at  the  door  An  old  man  with  a 
white  beard  appeared.  “Take  me  to  a field,”  said  the 
officer,  “ where  I can  obtain  forage  for  my  troops.” 
“ Immediately,  sir,”  replied  the  old  man.  He  put  him- 
self at  their  head,  and  ascended  the  valley.  After 
about  half  an  hour’s  march  a fine  field  of  barley  ap- 
peared. “ This  will  do  admirably,”  said  the  officer. 
“No,”  said  the  old  man;  wait  a little,  and  all  will  be 
right.”  They  went  on  again,  until  they  reached  an- 
other field  of  barley.  The  troops  dismounted,  mowed 


CHRISTIAN  GRACES. 


615 


down  die  grain,  and  trussing  it  up  in  bundles,  put 
them  on  their  horses.  “ Friend,”  said  the  officer, 
“ how  is  it  that  you  have  brought  us  so  far?  The  first 
field  of  barley  that  we  saw  was  quite  as  good  as  this.” 
“That  is  quite  true,”  said  the  peasant,  “but  it  was  not 
mine  ! ” 

In  olden  times  virtue  and  valor  were  synonymous. 
Valor,  the  old  Roman  valor,  was  worth,  value.  It  was 
strength,  force,  available  for  noble  purposes.  He  who 
best  serves  his  fellow-creatures,  who  elevates  them, 
who  saves  them,  is  the  most  valiant. 

There  is  also  an  inward  valor — of  conscience,  of 
honesty,  of  self-denial,  of  self-sacrifice,  of  daring  to  do 
the  right  in  the  face  of  the  world’s  contumely.  Its 
chief  characteristic  is  great-heartedness.  Endurance 
and  energy  are  the  dual  soul  of  worth,  the  true  valor. 

Humility  is  of  all  graces  the  chief  when  it  does  not 
know  itself  to  be  a grace.  Kind  looks,  kind  words, 
kind  acts  and  warm  handshakes — these  are  primary 
means  of  grace  when  men  are  in  trouble,  and  fighting 
their  unseen  battles.  They  build  up  both  the  giver 
and  the  receiver.  Art  thou,  then,  desirous  of  possess- 
ing this  chiefest  of  all  graces  ? Dost  thou  tremble, 
fearing  that  the  pride  of  thy  life  will  destroy  its  joyous 
work? 

Surely  humility  is  apparent  enough.  Thou  takest 
a right  view  of  thyself,  O man  of  desires  ! A lowly 
esteem  hast  thou  of  thyself,  and  this  is  well.  I would 
to  God  that  some  who  are  full  of  brag-s  and  boasts 
about  their  holiness  could  only  be  as  safe  as  thou  art 
with  thy  desires  and  groans,  for  there  is  in  thee  that 


6i  6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


broken  and  contrite  heart  which  the  Lord  will  not 
despise.  God  hath  given  thee  this  jewel  among  the 
rest — a meek  and  lowly  spirit.  Ay,  and  there  is  faith 
in  thee,  for  no  man  heartily  desires  to  believe  unless 
he  doth  in  some  measure  already  believe.  There  is  a 
measure  of  believing  in  every  true  desire  after  be- 
lieving-. 

o 

If  thou  sayest,  “ I would  trust  Christ,”  why,  soul, 
thou  trusteth  him  already  in  some  degree,  since  thou 
dost  believe  that  He  is  the  kind  of  person  whom  it 
would  be  right  to  trust.  Thy  desire  to  cast  thyself 
wholly  upon  Christ  hath  in  it  the  beginnings  of  saving 
faith.  Thou  hast  the  grain  of  mustard-seed  within 
thee  which  will  grow  into  a great  tree.  I can  tell  the 
mustard  by  its  taste;  the  strength  of  thy  desire,  its 
pungency  and  heat,  betray  the  genuine  seed.  And 
thou  hast  love,  too;  I am  sure  of  it.  Did  ever  a man 
desire  to  love  that  which  he  did  not  love  already  ? Thou 
hast  already  some  affection  towards  the  Lord  Jesus, 
some  drawings  of  thy  heart  Christwards,  or  else  thou 
wouldst  not  sigh  and  cry  to  be  more  filled  with  it.  He 
who  loves  most  is  the  very  man  who  most  passionately 
desires  to  love  more.  Love  and  desire  keep  pace  in 
Christians,  so  that  the  more  love  the  more  desire  to 
love ; and  so  I gather  that  this  desire  of  thine  to  love 
Jesus  is  a sure  evidence  that  thou  dost  love  Him 
already. 

Thy  desire  is  the  smoke  which  proves  that  there  is 
fire  in  thy  soul.  A living  flame  lingers  yet  among  the 
embers,  and  with  a little  fanning  it  will  reveal  itself. 
Thy  desire  to  serve  God  is  obedience,  thy  desire  to 


CHRISTIAN  GRACES. 


617 


pray  is  prayer,  thy  desire  to  praise  is  praise.  I am 
sure,  also,  that  thou  hast  some  hope ; for  a man  does 
not  continue  to  groan  out  before  his  God,  and  to  make 
his  desire  known,  unless  he  has  some  hope  that  his 
desire  will  be  satisfied,  and  that  his  grief  will  be 
assuaged.  Living  desires  are  better  than  dead  duties, 
as  a living  dog  is  better  than  a dead  lion.  The  most 
regular  outward  performance  of  pious  duties  may  be 
the  revolution  of  heartless  machinery;  but  desires 
mean  life,  and  life  is  needful  if  we  would  please  the 
living  God. 

And  as  holy  desires  after  God  keep  company  with 
humility  and  faith  and  love  and  hope,  I am  persuaded 
they  are  of  like  character,  and  are  gracious  themselves. 
I know  you  have  some  hope,  and  therefore  if  you  have 
no  hope  anywhere  else  I am  persuaded  that  you  have 
hope  in  God.  That  thought  of  God  which  makes 
you  cry,  “Hope  thou  in  God,  for  I shall  yet  praise 
him,”  has  the  seeds  of  hope,  and  the  beginning  of 
comfort,  with  it.  I might  go  over  many  of  the  graces, 
but  these  will  suffice. 

We  believe  that  none  can  bring  a clean  thing  out 
of  an  unclean,  neither  can  thorns  bring  forth  figs.  If 
there  is  a desiring  and  a groaning  of  the  heart  after 
God  in  your  bosom,  depend  upon  it  human  nature 
never  originated  it.  Can  sin  desire  holiness,  or  death 
pant  for  life?  Holy  desires  are  plants  which  are  by 
no  means  native  to  the  soil  of  human  nature:  their 
seed  comes  from  a far  country.  Did  the  devil 
work  these  holy  desires,  think  you  ? Hearken,  brother, 
does  the  devil  make  you  thirst  after  God?  Does  he 


6i8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


make  you  sigh  and  cry  after  the  light  of  your  Father’s 
countenance?  Does  he  make  you  pray  to  be  delivered 
from  temptation  ? Does  he  make  you  sigh  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  image  of  Christ?  Then  the  devil  has 
very  greatly  altered  since  I met  him  last,  and  since  he 
was  described  in  holy  writ,  or  seen  in  the  conflicts  of 
good  men.  Who,  then,  has  kindled  these  heavenly 
flames  of  desire?  I earnestly  avow  my  belief  that 
every  pure  desire  is  as  much  the  work  of  God  as  the 
grace  which  it  desires.  He  who  sincerely  longs  to  be 
right  with  God  has  already  somewhat  of  a work  of 
divine  grace  within  his  soul  creating  those  aspirations. 
Now  as  God  can  say  of  all  that  he  creates,  “It  is 
very  good,”  I come  to  the  conclusion  that  these  groan- 
ing desires  after  God  are  very  good.  They  are  not 
great,  nor  strong,  but  they  are  gracious.  There  is 
water  in  a drop  as  well  as  in  the  sea,  there  is  life  in  a 
gnat  as  well  as  in  an  elephant,  there  is  light  in  a beam 
as  well  as  in  the  sun,  and  so  is  there  grace  in  a desire 
as  truly  as  in  complete  sanctification. 


©HE  Lcaw  op  Lcove. 


Love  is  the  master  of  all  arts, 

And  puts  it  into  human  hearts 

The  strangest  things  to  say  and  do. — H.  W.  Longfellow. 

Love  smooths  the  path  of  duty,  and  wings  the  feet 
to  travel  it ; it  is  the  bow  which  impels  the  arrow  of 
obedience  ; it  is  the  mainspring  moving  the  wheels  of 
duty;  it  is  the  strong  arm  tugging  the  oar  of  diligence. 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE.  619 

Love  is  the  marrow  of  the  bones  of  fidelity,  the  blood 
in  the  veins  of  piety,  the  sinews  of  spiritual  strength; 
yea,  the  life  of  sincere  devotion.  He  that  hath  love 
can  no  more  be  motionless  than  the  aspen  in  the  gale, 
the  sere  leaf  in  the  hurricane,  or  the  spray  in  the  tem- 
pest. As  well  may  hearts  cease  to  beat  as  love  to 
labor.  Love  is  instinct  with  activity,  it  cannot  be  idle  ; 
it  is  full  of  energy,  it  cannot  content  itself  with  littles ; 
it  is  the  well-spring  of  heroism,  and  great  deeds  are 
the  gushings  of  its  fountain;  it  is  a giant;  it  heapeth 
mountains  upon  mountains  and  thinketh  the  pile  but 
little  ; it  is  a mighty  mystery,  for  it  changes  bitter  into 
sweet ; it  calls  death  life,  and  life  death  ; and  it  makes 
pain  less  painful  than  enjoyment. 

“Love  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity;  ” that  is  love  does 
not  make  us  glad  to  hear  about  the  faults  and  failures 
of  others  ; but  it  does  make  us  happy  when  others  are 
prospered  and  living  true  lives.  There  is  no  fear  in 
love,  for  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear.  A loving  act 
does  more  good  often  than  a blazing  exhortation. 
What  the  race  needs  is  not  more  good  talkers  but 
more  good  Samaritans. 

Heart-power  is  of  all  others  the  most  beneficent. 
Physical  energy  subdues  matter,  but  the  soul  triumphs 
by  the  force  of  its  affections  over  the  mightiest  of 
obstacles.  The  heart  of  Christ  is  the  seat  and  center 
of  His  supremacy  over  so  many  millions  of  our  race. 
He  is  not  ranked  as  a genius,  nor  as  an  orator.  He 
cultivated  no  human  learning.  He  disdained  the 
boasted  charms  of  philosophy.  Yet  His  speech  dis- 
tilled as  the  dew,  and  His  words  have  an  inexhaustible 


620 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


power  which  neither  dullness,  nor  ignorance,  nor 
depravity,  nor  unbelief  can  resist. 

If  we  seek  to  find  the  reason  of  their  power,  we 
shall  find  it  in  that  love  which  vitalizes  all  the  truth 
they  express.  Here,  then,  lies  the  secret  of  Christian 
usefulness.  Ministers  of  the  gospel,  Sunday  school 
teachers,  parents,  and  all  who  desire  to  impart  the 
gospel,  must  let  it  run  through  the  fervid  affections  of 
the  heart.  Cold,  intellectual  instruction  may  have  its 
place  in  the  schools,  a d in  those  discussions  which 
relate  to  general  public  affairs.  But  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  the  heart  is  master.  They  who  put  most  of 
heart  into  their  work  have  most  success  and  reap  the 
largest  satisfactions.  This  is  a truth  too  often  for- 
gotten in  these  days,  when  so  much  stress  is  laid  on 
methods. 

We  must  feed  the  lambs.  VVe  must  “lift  up  the 
hands  that  hang  down,  and  confirm  the  feeble  knees.” 
The  voice  of  God  is  heard  in  our  heart  saying,  “Com- 
fort ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,”  which  voice  we  dare 
not  disregard;  indeed,  the  sympathies  aroused  within 
us  by  a similar  experience  prompt  us  to  be  forward  in 
compassionating  the  weak  and  the  tried.  Therefore, 
at  this  time  I would  seek  out  the  weary  and  wounded 
and  feeble  ; not  with  a view  of  trying  to  multiply  their 
number,  but  with  the  hope  of  diminishing  their  number 
by  cheering  them  till  they  grow  out  of  their  low  con- 
dition. 

That  God  is  indeed  a father  to  us  was  one  of  those 
things  kept  secret  since  the  world  began  until  Jesus 
came  and  by  the  infinitive  love  of  His  life  made  the  in- 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE. 


621 


finitive  love  of  God  credible.  Miss  not  the  grandeur 
of  this  revelation.  Come  trusting — not  afraid  to  ask. 
The  children  are  not  expected  to  lay  up  for  their  Great 
Father ; but  the  Father  lays  up  for  the  children.  What- 
ever we  have  been,  it  is  our  duty  to  reckon  on  deepest 
interest  and  richest  love  filling  God’s  heart  towards  us. 

If  you  have  desires  which  you  wish  the  Lord  to 
know  of  they  must  be  right;  you  would  not  dare  to 
bring  them  before  God  if  they  were  not  good  desires. 
When  you  are  in  God’s  house  and  with  God’s  people, 
or  reading  God’s  Word,  or  when  you  are  drawing 
near  to  God  in  contemplation,  then  these  desires  are 
strongest ; now,  if  they  were  bad  desires  they  would 
not  flourish  in  the  best  of  atmospheres,  they  would  not 
be  watered  and  nourished  by  the  best  of  influences,  for 
such  influences  would  tend  to  kill  ill  weeds  of  strange 
desire.  So,  then,  there  is  some  good  thing  in  thee 
towards  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  after  all : thou  wouldst 
not  have  these  heavings  of  soul,  these  strivings  of 
heart,  these  pantings,  these  hungerings  and  thirstings, 
if  it  were  not  that  there  is  somewhat  in  thee  of  the 
Spirit’s  working.  God  has  dealt  graciously  with  thee 
in  giving  thee  these  good  desires.  Sparks  of  ever- 
lasting life  are  alive  within  thy  spirit  so  long  as  thou 
hast  spiritual  hunger  and  thirst.  Thy  desire  must  be 
a good  thing,  or  thou  wouldst  not  dare  to  make  it 
known  to  God ; and  seeing  that  it  is  a good  thing 
take  care  thou  nurture  it  well,  and  cause  it  to  grow  by 
expressing  it  with  thy  whole  heart  before  God. 

It  is  said  that  the  blood  of  the  goat  will  dissolve 
diamonds  that  resist  the  hammer  and  the  anvil.  So 


022 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Christ’s  precious  blood  melts  the  most  hardened  heart. 
When  refinement  and  polish  have  sometimes  crys- 
tallized a soul  into  worldliness,  so  that  the  law  with  its 
great  thumps  has  failed  to  subdue  it,  the  tender  in- 
fluences of  Christ’s  love  in  his  death  has  brought  the 
soul  to  complete  submission  to  His  will.  One  glance 
of  God,  a touch  of  his  love,  will  free  and  enlarge  the 
heart,  so  that  it  can  deny  all,  and  part  with  all,  and 
make  an  entire  renouncing  of  all  to  follow  him. 

Could  we  with  ink  the  ocean  fill, 

And  were  the  skies  of  parchment  made, 

Were  every  blade  of  grass  a quill. 

And  every  man  a scribe  by  trade ; 

To  write  the  love  of  God  above, 

Would  drain  the  ocean  dry, 

Nor  could  the  scroll  contain  the  whole. 

Though  stretched  from  sky  to  sky. 

If  we  only  half  believe  what  our  Saviour  has  told 
us  of  the  love  of  God,  of  the  joy  he  has  over  the  re- 
turning wanderer,  we  never  could  stay  away  from  him 
as  we  do. 

O reader,  if  you  are  indifferent  to  him,  remember, 
he  is  not  indifferent  to  you ! If  you  are  not  delighted 
yourself  in  him,  you  are  suffering  loss.  The  Lord 
takes  pleasure  in  his  people.  We  read  in  the  thirty- 
seventh  Psalm*.  at  the  twenty-third  verse : “ The  steps 
of  a good  man  are  ordered  by  the  Lord,  and  he  de- 
lighteth  in  his  way.” 

“ Do  your  gods  love  you  ?”  asked  a missionary  of 
some  Indians. 

The  gods  never  think  of  loving,”  was  the  cheer- 
less answer. 

The  missionary  repeated  the  sixteenth  verse  of  the 
third  chapter  of  St.  John’s  Gospel : “ For  God  so  loved 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE. 


623 

the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have 
everlasting  life.” 

“ Read  it  again,”  asked  the  arrested  pagan.  “ That 
is  large  light ; read  it  again.” 

A third  time  the  blessed  words  were  repeated, 
and  with  this  emphatic  response  : 

“ That  is  true;  I feel  it.” 

On  one  occasion  a missionary  was  dictating  to  a 
native  amanuensis  the  translation  of  the  third  chapter 
of  the  first  epistle  of  St.  John;  and  when  they  reached 
the  passage,  “ Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,”  the  con- 
verted heathen  burst  into  tears,  and  exclaimed,  “ It  is 
too  much,  it  is  too  much;  let  me  put  it,  ‘Now  we  are 
permitted  to  kiss  his  feet.’  ” 

The  force  of  love  is  always  greater  than  that  of 
sternness.  Antagonism  arouses  antagonism.  What 
the  hammer  will  not  weld  the  magnet  will  draw  to- 
gether. And  thus  the  mightiest  influence  with  which 
to  bind  men  to  Christ’s  cross  is  love.  Nothing  quick- 
ens the  perceptions  like  genuine  love.  From  the 
humblest  professional  attachment  to  the  most  chivalric 
devotion,  what  keenness  of  observation  is  born  under 
the  influence  of  that  feeling  which  drives  away  the 
obscuring  clouds  of  selfishness,  as  the  sun  consumes 
the  vapor  of  the  morning. 

Man  is  dear  to  man ; the  poorest  poor 
Long  for  some  moments  in  a weary  life, 

When  they  can  know  and  feel  that  they  have  been 
Themselves  the  fathers  and  the  dealers-out 
Of  some  small  blessings  ; have  been  kind  to  such 
As  needed  kindness  for  the  single  cause, 

That  we  have  all  of  us  one  human  heart. 


624  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

It  is  wonderful  how  men  change  to  a changed 
heart!  Being  ennobled  ourselves  we  see  noble  things, 
and  loving,  find  out  love.  Little  touches  of  courage, 
of  goodness,  of  love  in  men,  which  formerly,  looking 
for  perfection,  we  passed  by,  now  attract  us  like  flow- 
ers beside  a dusty  highway.  We  take  them  as  keys 
to  the  character,  and  door  after  door  flies  open  to  us. 

It  is  related  of  St.  John  that  when  very  old — so  old 
that  he  could  not  walk  and  could  scarcely  speak — he 
was  carried  in  the  arms  of  his  friends  into  an  assembly 
of  Christian  children.  He  lifted  himself  up  and  said, 
“Little  children,  love  one  another.”  And  again  he 
said,  “ Love  one  another.”  When  asked,  “ Have  you 
nothing  else  to  tell  us?”  he  replied,  “I  say  this  again 
and  again,  because,  if  you  do  this,  nothing  more  is 
needed.”  The  same  truth  applies  universally.  Sym- 
pathy is  founded  on  love.  It  is  but  another  word  for 
disinterestedness  and  affection.  We  assume  another’s 
state  of  mind ; we  go  out  of  ourself  and  inhabit  an- 
other’s personality.  We  sympathize  with  him,  we  help 
him,  we  relieve  him.  There  can  be  no  love  without 
sympathy;  there, can  be  no  friendship  without  sympa- 
thy. Like  mercy,  sympathy  and  benevolence  are  twice 
blessed,  blessing  both  giver  and  receiver.  While  they 
bring  forth  an  abundant  fruit  of  happiness  in  the  heart 
of  the  giver,  they  grow  up  into  kindness  and  benevo- 
lence in  the  heart  of  the  receiver. 

How  strange  it  seems,  that  the  passion  of  love 
should  be  the  supreme  mover  of  the  world ; that  it  is 
this  which  has  dictated  the  greatest  sacrifices,  and 
influenced  all  societies  and  all  times ; that  to  this  the 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE. 


625 


loftiest  and  loveliest  genius  has  ever  consecrated  its 
devotion  ; that  but  for  love  there  were  no  civilization, 
no  music,  no  poetry,  no  beauty,  no  life  beyond  the 
brute’s ! 

Lord  Bacon  writes  : “ Goodness  answers  to  the 
theological  virtue  of  love,  and  admits  no  excess  but 
error ; the  desire  of  power  in  excess  caused  the  angels 
to  fall ; the  desire  of  knowledge  in  excess  caused  man 
to  fall;  but  in  charity  there  is  no  excess — neither  can 
angel  or  man  come  into  danger  by  it.  True  benevo- 
lence is  to  love  all  men.  Recompense  injury  with 
justice,  and  kindness  with  kindness.  The  desire  to  be 
beloved  is  ever  restless  and  unsatisfied,  but  the  love 
that  flows  out  upon  others  is  a perpetual  well-spring 
from  on  high. 

A man  may  be  a miser  of  his  wealth;  he  may  tie 
up  his  talent  in  a napkin  ; he  may  hug  himself  in  his 
reputation;  but  he  is  always  generous  in  his  love. 
Love  cannot  stay  at  home;  a man  cannot  keep  it  to 
himself.  Like  light,  it  is  constantly  traveling.  A man 
must  spend  it.  must  give  it  away. 

Elijah’s  mantle  was  a very  influential  garment, 
and  so  was  an  old  coat  of  David  Livingstone’s.  In  a 
recent  paper  read  before  the  British  Geographical 
Society,  Rev.  Chauncey  Maples,  of  the  University  Mis- 
sion in  Eastern  Africa,  tells  how  at  Matoba,  he  met  a 
native  who  had  on  his  shoulders  an  old  coat,  mouldy 
and  partially  eaten  away,  but  evidently  of  English  make 
and  material.  On  asking  where  the  coat  came  from, 
he  was  told  that  it  was  given  him  by  “a  white  man 

who  treated  black  men  as  his  brothers,  whose  words 
40 


626 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


were  always  gentle  and  whose  manners  were  always 
kind,  and  whom,  as  a leader,  it  was  a privilege  to  fol- 
low, and  who  knew  the  way  to  the  hearts  of  all 
men.”  It  proved  to  be  Dr.  Livingstone’s  coat,  and 
this  was  the  rude  African’s  description  of  the  great 
missionary  explorer.  He  had  kept  the  coat  for  ten 
years  in  memory  of  the  giver.  The  incident  reveals 
not  only  the  character  of  Livingstone,  but  also  that  of 
the  African.  These  savages  have  hearts,  and  men 
should  find  the  way  to  them. 

“Love,”  says  Emerson,  “would  put  a new  face  on 
this  weary  old  world,  in  which  we  dwell  as  pagans  and 
enemies  too  long ; and  it  would  warm  the  heart  to  see 
how  fast  the  vain  diplomacy  of  statesmen,  the  impo- 
tence of  armies  and  navies  and  lines  of  defense, 
would  be  superseded  by  this  unarmed  child.  Love 
will  creep  where  it  cannot  go  ; will  accomplish  that,  by 
imperceptible  methods — being  its  own  fulcrum,  lever 
and  power — which  force  could  never  achieve. 

“ Have  you  not  seen  in  the  woods,  in  a late  autumn 
morning,  a poor  fungus  or  mushroom,  a plant  without 
any  solidity,  nay,  that  seemed  nothing  but  a soft  mush 
or  jelly,  by  its  constant,  bold,  and  inconceivably  gentle 
pushing,  manage  to  break  its  way  up  through  the 
frosty  ground,  and  actually  to  lift  a hard  crust  on  its 
head?  This  is  the  symbol  of  the  power  of  kindness. 
The  virtue  of  this  principle  in  human  society,  in  appli- 
cation to  great  interests,  is  obsolete  and  forgotten. 
Once  or  twice  in  history  it  has  been  tried,  in  illustrious 
instances,  with  signal  success.  This  great,  overgrown, 
dead  Christendom  of  ours  still  keeps  alive,  at  least, 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE. 


627 


the  name  of  a lover  of  mankind.  But  one  day  all  men 
will  be  lovers  and  every  calamity  will  be  dissolved  in 
the  universal  sunshine.”  Christ’s  love  is  the  Church’s 
fire.  Thither  bring  thy  heart  when  it  is  cold,  frozen, 
and  dead.  Meditate  on  His  love,  and  pray  until  you 
can  say:  “He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.” 
Though  we  may  look  to  our  understanding  for 
amusement,  it  is  to  the  affections  only  that  we  must 
trust  for  happiness.  This  implies  a spirit  of  self-sac- 
rifice, and  our  virtues,  like  our  children,  are  endeared 
to  us  for  what  we  suffer  for  them.  “ The  secret  of  my 
mother’s  influence,”  says  Mrs.  Fletcher  in  her  “Auto- 
biography,” “was  well  expressed  by  her  early  friend, 
Dr.  Kelvington  of  Ripon,  and  it  may  be  called  the  key- 
note of  her  life.  He  says,  in  one  of  his  letters  to  her 
at  the  age  of  seventeen,  ‘I  have  never  known  any  one 
so  tenderly  and  truly  and  universally  beloved  as  you 
are,  and  I believe  it  arises  from  your  capacity  of  loving!  ” 
The  railings  upon  a bridge  do  not  hinder  you  from 
making  progress  in  every  proper  manner,  and  as 
rapidly  as  possible.  They  only  hinder  you  from  fall- 
ing off  at  either  side.  No  one  in  his  senses  ever 
objects  to  them.  Like  them  are  the  restraints  of  the 
Christian  life.  These  are  no  hindrances  to  your  worthy 
and  ennobling  desires.  They  only  check  you  when, 
either  thoughtlessly  or  in  temporary  consent  to  temp- 
tation, you  are  about  to  endanger  your  spiritual  safety. 
Hence  it  is  that  the  best  Christians  seem  unvexed  by 
them,  and  sometimes  almost  unconscious  of  them. 
Such  believers  are  pressing  directly  on  so  earnestly  as 
not  to  feel  so  often  or  so  strongly  as  others,  the  temp- 


628 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


tation  to  wander  aside.  Therefore,  they  enjoy  religion 
far  more  than  do  their  less  earnest  fellow-Christians. 
When  you  feel  noticeably  the  restraints  of  the  gospel 
upon  you,  ask  yourself  if  you  are  not  trying  to  get 
out  of  the  right  way,  instead  of  advancing  in  it.  If 
you  will  cherish  the  psalmist’s  spirit,  you  will  be  able 
to  appropriate  his  words  : “ I will  walk  at  liberty,  for 

I seek  thy  precepts.” 

It  is  not  for  ourselves  alone  that  we  work  and 
strive.  It  is  for  others  as  well  as  for  ourselves.  There 
are  moral  laws,  family  ties,  domestic  affections,  home 
government  and  guidance,  which  stand  on  a higher 
level  and  are  based  on  nobler  considerations  than 
selfish  pleasures  or  money  payment.  We  must  be- 
ware how  we  allow  our  views  to  center  in  ourselves. 
“No  one,”  said  Epictetus,  “ who  is  a lover  of  riches, 
or  a lover  of  pleasure,  or  a lover  of  glory,  can  at  the 
same  time  be  a lover  of  men.”  “To  be  a lover  of 
men,”  said  St.  Anthony,  “is,  in  fact,  to  live.”  Thus 
love  is  the  universal  principle  of  good.  It  is  glorified 
in  human  intelligence.  It  is  the  only  remedy  for  the 
woes  of  the  human  race.  It  is  sweet  in  action — in 
learning,  in  philosophy,  in  manners,  in  legislation,  in 
government. 

The  love  of  excellence  is  inseparable  from  a spirit 
of  uncompromising  detestation  for  all  that  is  base  and 
criminal.  Froissart  describes  Gaston  de  Foix  as  “one 
who  was  in  everything  so  perfect  that  he  cannot  be 
praised  too  much ; he  loved  that  which  ought  to  be 
beloved,  and  hated  that  which  ought  to  be  hated.” 
St.  Augustine  says  nearly  the  same  thing : “ Virtue  is 


THE  LAW  OF  LOVE. 


629 


nothing  but  well-directed  love,  inducing  us  to  love 
what  we  ought  to  love,  and  to  hate  what  is  worthy  of 
hatred.” 

The  old  hermits  had  a great  love  for  animals.  They 
were  their  only  companions.  The  birds  used  to  flutter 
about  them,  and  even  the  wild  animals  took  shelter 
with  them.  They  seemed  to  feel  that  no  harm  would 
be  done  to  them.  Even  birds  know  and  feel  their 
danger  when  a man  appears  among  them  with  a gun. 
Crows  rise  from  picking  up  the  grubs  along  the  plow- 
man’s furrow  and  immediately  disappear,  though  the 
crows  by  feeding  themselves  were  furthering  the  next 
year’s  harvest. 

St.  Francis  had  a notion  that  all  living  things  were 
his  brothers  and  sisters,  and  he  carried  his  idea  beyond 
the  confines  of  poetry  into  literal  fact.  He  even 
preached  to  the  birds.  He  used  to  speak  to  all  cre- 
ated things  as  if  they  had  intelligence,  and  he  loved  to 
recognize  in  their  various  properties  some  trace  of  the 
divine  perfection.  “ If  your  heart  be  right,”  said  an- 
other ancient  sage,  “ then  every  creature  is  a mirror  of 
life  and  a book  of  holy  doctrine.” 

Probably  there  is  no  influence  so  powerful  as  sym- 
pathy in  awakening  the  affections  of  the  human  heart. 
There  are  few,  even  of  the  most  rugged  natures,  whom 
it  does  not  influence.  It  constrains  much  more  than 
force  can  do.  A kind  word  or  a kind  look  will  act 
upon  those  upon  whom  coercion  has  been  tried  in  vain. 
While  sympathy  invites  to  love  and  obedience,  harsh- 
ness provokes  aversion  and  resistance.  The  poet  is 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


63O 

right  who  says  that  “ power  itself  hath  not  one-half 
the  might  of  gentleness.” 

o o 

Sympathy,  when  allowed  to  take  a wider  range, 
assumes  the  larger  form  of  public  philanthropy.  It 
influences  man  in  the  endeavor  to  elevate  his  fellow- 
creatures  from  a state  of  poverty  and  distress,  to  im- 
prove the  condition  of  the  masses  of  the  people,  to 
diffuse  the  results  of  civilization  far  and  wide  among 
mankind,  and  to  unite  in  the  bonds  of  peace  and 
brotherhood  the  parted  families  of  the  human  race. 
And  it  is  every  man’s  duty,  whose  lot  has  been  favored 
in  comparison  with  others,  who  enjoys  advantages  of 
wealth  or  knowledge  or  social  influence,  of  which 
others  are  deprived,  to  devote  at  least  a certain  portion 
of  his  time  and  money  to  the  promotion  of  the  general 
well-being. 


She  Sabbath. 

Hail,  holy  day ! sweet  day  of  rest 
Both  blessed  and  sanctified, 

In  which  the  poor  and  the  oppressed 
Are  free  and  satisfied. 

The  poor,  who  toil,  from  day  to  day, 

Beneath  a burning  sun, 

With  gratitude  and  joy  will  say, 

“ Our  six  days’  work  is  done.” 

They  see  the  sabbath-day  appear, 

To  heaven  their  prayers  arise; 

They  hope  to  end  their  labors  here. 

And  rest  above  the  skies. 

The  Sabbath  is  the  green  oasis,  the  little  grassy 
meadow  in  the  wilderness,  when,  after  the  week-days' 
journey,  the  pilgrim  halts  for  refreshment  and  repose ; 


THE  SABBATH. 


631 


where  he  rests  beneath  the  shade  of  the  lofty  palm- 
trees,  beside  the  well-spring,  and  dips  his  vessel  in  the 
waters  of  the  calm,  clear  stream,  and  recovers  his 
strength  to  go  forth  again  upon  his  pilgrimage  in  the 
desert  with  renewed  vigor  and  cheerfulness. 

Bunyan  says,  “ Make  the  Lord’s  day  the  market 
for  thy  soul;  let  the  whole  day  be  spent  in  prayer, 
repetitions,  or  meditations.  Lay  aside  the  affairs  of 
the  other  parts  of  the  week  ; let  the  sermon  thou  hast 
heard  be  converted  into  prayer.  Shall  God  allow  thee 
six  days,  and  wilt  not  thou  afford  him  one?” 

The  importance  of  the  religious  observance  of  the 
Sabbath  is  seldom  sufficiently  estimated.  The  viola- 
tion of  this  duty  by  the  young  is  one  of  the  most 
decided  marks  of  incipient  moral  degeneracy.  Reli- 
gious restraint  is  fast  losing  its  hold  upon  that  young 
man,  who  having  been  educated  in  the  fear  of  God, 
begins  to  spend  the  Sabbath  in  idleness,  or  in  amuse- 
ment. And  so  also  of  communities.  The  desecration 
of  the  Sabbath  is  one  of  those  evident  indications  of 
that  criminal  recklessness,  that  insane  love  of  pleasure, 
and  that  subjection  to  the  government  of  appetite  and 
passion,  which  forebodes  that  the  “ beginning  of  the 
end  ” of  social  happiness,  and  of  true  national  pros- 
perity, has  arrived. 

There  is  one  weapon  which  the  enemy  has  em- 
ployed to  destroy  Christianity  and  drive  it  from  the 
world,  which  has  never  been  employed  but  with  signal 
success.  It  is  the  attempt  to  corrupt  the  Christian 
Sabbath,  to  make  it  a day  of  festivity,  to  cause 
Christians  to  feel  that  its  sacred  and  rigid  obligation 

o o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


632 

has  ceased,  to  induce  them  on  that  day  to  mingle  in 
the  scenes  of  pleasure  or  the  exciting  plans  of  ambi- 
tion, to  make  them  feel  that  they  may  pursue  their 
journey  by  land  or  water,  by  the  steamboat  and  the 
railway,  regardless  of  the  command  of  God  ; and  this 
has  done,  and  will  continue  to  do  what  no  aro-ument, 
no  sophistry,  no  imperial  power  has  been  able  to 
accomplish. 

The  “ Book  of  Sports  ” did  more  to  destroy  Chris- 
tianity than  all  the  ten  persecutions  of  the  Roman  Em- 
perors ; and  the  views  of  the  Second  Charles  and  his 
Court  about  the  Lord’s  day  tended  more  to  drive  re- 
liodon  from  the  British  nation  than  all  the  fires  that 

o 

were  enkindled  by  Mary.  Paris  has  no  Sabbath,  and 
that  fact  has  done  more  to  banish  Christianity  than  all 
the  writings  of  Voltaire;  and  Vienna  has  no  Sabbath, 
■and  that  fact  does  more  to  annihilate  religion  there 
than  ever  the  skepticism  of  Frederick.  Turn  the  Sab- 
bath into  a day  of  sport  and  pastimes,  of  military 
reviews,  and  of  pantomimes  and  theatrical  exhibitions, 
and  not  an  infidel  would  care  a farthing  about  the 
tomes  of  Volney  or  Voltaire,  about  the  skepticism  of 
Hume,  the  sneers  of  Gibbon  or  the  scurrility  of  Paine. 

A Sabbath-keeping  people  will  become  a thought- 
ful people,  and  such  thoughtfulness  is  manliness.  All 
men,  and  especially  the  busy  millions  in  an  advanced  civi- 
lization like  our  own,  need  for  the  mind’s  sake  not  less 
than  for  the  sake  of  wearied  nerves  and  muscles,  the 
seventh  day  intermission  of  their  ordinary  work.  A 
true  Sabbath  is  something  far  more  restful  than  a day 
of  noisy  jollity.  In  its  calm  air  the  mind  rests  by 


THE  SABBATH. 


633 

thought,  not  thoughtlessness  ; by  quiet  musing,  by  con- 
scious or  unconscious  retrospection  ; perhaps  by  con- 
sideration of  what  might  have  been,  perhaps  by 
thinking  what  may  yet  be,  perhaps  by  aspiration  and 
resolve  towards  something  in  the  future  that  shall  be  bet- 
ter than  what  has  been  in  the  past.  The  home  in  which 
Sunday  is  a day  of  rest  and  home  enjoyments  is  hal- 
lowed by  the  Sabbaths  which  it  hallows.  In  the  Sabbath- 
keeping village  life  is  less  frivolous  and  at  the  same 
time  industry  is  more  productive  for  the  weekly  rest. 
A Sabbath-keeping  nation  is  greater  in  peace  and  in 
war  for  the  character  which  its  tranquil  and  thoughtful 
Sabbaths  have  impressed  upon  it. 

Sunday  is  the  golden  clasp  that  binds  together  the 
volume  of  the  week.  I never  knew  a man  to  escape 
failures  either  in  mind  or  body  who  worked  seven  days 
in  a week.  If  you  have  no  love  for  the  Sabbath, 
observe  it  out  of  respect  to  your  parents,  public 
opinion,  and  to  God.  In  our  country  a man’s  position 
for  respectability  is  questionable,  to  say  the  least,  who 
manifests  a disregard  for  religion  and  the  Sabbath. 

“ Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy.” 
Don’t  forget  it.  Don’t  idle  it  away  in  silly  nothings. 
Don’t  frolic.  Don’t  sleep  it  off.  Don’t  visit  unless 
you  go  to  see  the  sick  or  distressed.  Don’t  do 
ordinary  work.  Don’t  hunt.  Don’t  read  novels  and 
light  trash.  Don’t  sit  around  drug  stores  and  hotels. 
Don’t  commence  a journey  on  Sunday.  Don’t  steal 
God’s  time  to  do  your  work  or  have  your  pleasure. 
“ Remember  the  day  and  keep  it  holy.”  I have  great 


634 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


hopes  of  a boy  who  has  a tender  conscience  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Sabbath.  “Keep  it  holy.” 

Mr.  Talmage  says,  “ I had  a friend  in  Syracuse  who 
lived  to  be  one  hundred  years  of  age.  He  said  to  me 
in  his  ninety-ninth  year,  ‘ I went  across  the  mountains 
in  the  early  history  of  this  country.  Sabbath  morning 
came.  We  were  beyond  the  reach  of  civilization.  My 
comrades  were  all  going  out  for  an  excursion. 
I said,  ‘ No,  I won’t  go,  it  is  Sunday.’  Why,  they 
laughed.  They  said,  ‘why,  we  haven’t  any  Sunday 
here.’  ‘Oh!  yes,’  I said,  ‘you  have.  I brought  it 
with  me  over  the  mountains.’  ” 

I wish  all  tired  people  did  but  know  the  infinite 
rest  there  is  in  fencing  off  the  six  days  from  the 
seventh.  In  anchoring  the  business  ships  of  your 
daily  life  as  the  Saturday  draws  to  its  close,  leaving 
them  to  ride  peacefully  upon  the  flow  or  the  ebb,  until 
Monday  morning  comes  again.  Oh,  the  delight,  the 
lull  of  the  feeling:  “No  need  to  settle  this  question, 
no  need  to  think  of  this  piece  of  work  for  a whole, 
long,  sweet,  thirty-six  hours.” 

Why  do  you  take  Sunday  papers,  to  keep  your 
nerves  astir  with  business  on  the  Lord’s  own  day  of 
rest  ? Why  do  you  add  up  and  consult  and  consider 
in  the  pauses  of  the  sermon,  or  make  opportunity  for 
a business  whisper  in  the  porch,  and  on  the  way  home? 
Why  do  you  let  the  perplexities  of  servants,  of  means, 
of  plans,  ruffle  your  spirits  on  the  one  great  day  of 
freedom?  Do  you  not  know  that  even  a debtor  may 
walk  abroad  on  Sunday  with  no  fear  of  a prison,  and 
house-doors  may  stand  open  and  no  sheriff  can  enter? 


THE  SABBATH.  635 

Shall  it  be  worse  with  your  mind  than  with  your 
body  ? 

Sleep,  sleep  to-day,  tormenting  cares, 

Of  earth  and  folly  born. 

It  is  the  high  court  of  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

One  of  the  greatest  financiers  of  the  nation  de- 
clared that  he  owed  his  life  to  the  relief  from  business 
which  the  Sabbath  gave  him,  and  multitudes  have  made 
similar  declarations. 

It  was  commonly  if  not  universally,  true  that 
travelers  on  the  overland  route  to  California,  that 
allowed  themselves  and  their  teams  to  rest,  were  first  at 
the  end  of  their  journey.  This  at  the  time  excited  a very 
considerable  amount  of  surprise  and  comment.  Illus- 
trations of  the  kind  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely. 

Seven  young  men  in  a town  of  Massachusetts 
started  in  the  same  business  nearly  at  the  same  time. 
Six  of  them  had  some  property  or  assistance  from 
their  friends,  and  followed  their  business  seven  days  in 
the  week.  The  other  had  less  property  than  either  of 
the  six.  He  had  less  assistance  from  others,  and 
worked  in  his  business  only  six  days  in  a week.  He 
is  now  the  only  man  who  has  property,  and  has  not 
failed  in  his  business. 

A distinguished  merchant  in  a city  said,  “It  is  about 
thirty  years  since  I came  to  this  city,  and  every  man 
through  this  whole  range  who  came  down  to  his  store, 
or  suffered  his  counting  room  to  be  opened  on  the 
Sabbath,  has  lost  his  property.  There  is  no  need  of 
breaking  the  Sabbath,  and  no  benefit  from  it.  We 
have  not  had  a vessel  leave  the  harbor  on  the  Sabbath 


636  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

for  more  than  twenty  years.  It  is  altogether  better  to 
get  them  off  on  a week  day  than  on  the  Sabbath.”  It 
is  better,  even  for  this  world.  And  so  with  all  kinds 
of  secular  business.  Men  may  seem  to  gain  for  a 
time  by  the  profanation  of  the  Sabbath,  but  it  does  not 
end  well.  Their  disappointment,  even  here,  often 
comes  suddenly. 

The  company  of  persons  who  went  out  on  the 
Sabbath  in  a pleasure  boat  expected  to  be  gainers; 
but  the  tumult  in  their  conscience  before  the  tumult 
without,  told  them  that  all  was  not  right ; and  when 
the  boat  upset,  and  the  hapless  victims  sank  to  rise  no 
more,  new  testimony  was  added  to  that  of  thousands, 
that  disobedience  to  God  is  not  the  way  to  gain  even 
for  this  world. 

Two  ministers  undertook  to  correct  an  indolent 
young  man  for  sabbath-breaking.  The  first  spoke 
solemnly  on  the  command,  “Remember  the  Sabbath- 
day  to  keep  it  holy.”  The  other  said,  “You  have  for- 
gotten one-half  of  the  commandment  ? ‘ six  days  shall 
thou,  labor,  and  do  all  thy  work,’  for  if  a man  does  not 
labor  six  days  of  the  week,  he  is  not  likely  to  rest 
properly  on  the  seventh.” 

A Syrian  convert  to  Christianity  was  ordered  by 
his  employer  to  work  on  Sunday,  but  he  declined. 
“ But,”  said  the  master,  “does  not  the  Master  say  that 
if  a man  has  an  ox  or  an  ass  that  falls  into  a pit  on  the 
Sabbath-day,  he  may  pull  him  out?  ” “ Yes,”  answered 
Hayop,  “ but  if  the  ass  has  a habit  of  falling  into  the 
same  pit  every  Sabbath-day,  then  the  man  should 
either  fill  up  the  pit  or  sell  that  ass.” 


THE  LIBERAL  SOUL. 


637 


©he  Lcibe^ali  Soul. 

The  liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat ; and  he  that  watereth  shall  be  watered 
also  himself. 

Carry  the  radiance  of  your  soul  in  your  face;  let 
the  world  have  the  benefit  of  it.  Let  your  cheerful- 
ness be  left  for  good,  wherever  you  are,  and  let  your 
smiles  be  scattered  like  sunbeams — “ on  the  just  as 
well  as  on  the  unjust.”  Such  a disposition  will  yield 
you  a rich  reward,  for  its  happy  effects  will  come  home 
to  you,  and  brighten  your  moments  of  thought.  Smiles 
are  the  higher  and  better  responses  of  nature  to  the 
emotion  of  the  soul.  Let  the  children  have  the  benefit 
of  them,  these  little  ones  who  need  the  sunshine  of 
the  heart  to  educate  them,  and  would  find  a level  for 
their  buoyant  nature  in  the  cheerful,  loving  faces  of 
those  who  lead  them.  Let  them  not  be  kept  from  the 
middle-aged,  who  need  the  encouragement  they  bring. 
Give  your  smiles  also  to  the  aged.  They  come  to 
them  like  the  quiet  rain  of  summer,  making  fresh  and 
verdant  the  long,  weary  path  of  life.  Be  gentle  and 
indulgent  to  all  ; love  the  true,  the  beautiful,  the  just, 
the  holy. 

What  help  in  a comrade’s  bugle  blast 
When  the  peril  of  Alpine  heights  is  past? 

What  need  the  spurring  paean  roll 
When  the  runner  is  safe  beyond  the  goal  ? 

What  worth  is  Eulogy’s  blandest  breath 

When  whispered  in  ears  that  are  hushed  in  death  ? 

Nay  ! nay  ! if  thou  hast  a word  of  cheer, 

Speak  it  while  I am  alive  to  hear.  Margaret  J.  Preston. 

If  you  stand  upon  the  mountain,  you  may  see  the 
sun  shining  long  after  it  is  dark  in  the  valley.  Try  to 


638  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

live  up  high  ! Escape,  if  you  can,  the  malarious  damps 
of  the  lowlands.  Make  an  upward  path  for  your  feet. 
Though  your  spirit  may  be  destined  to  live  isolated, 
you  cannot  be  alone,  for  God  is  there.  Your  best 
strivings  of  soul  are  there.  Your  standard  ground 
should  be  there.  Live  upward ! The  cedar  is  always 
developing  its  branches  towards  the  top,  while  the 
lower  ones  are  dropping  away.  Let  your  soul-life  be 
so.  Upward!  Upward! 

A child  of  God  had  rather  ten  thousand  times  suffer 
for  Christ  than  that  Christ  should  suffer  for  him. 
“There  are  people  that  live  behind  the  hill,”  is  an  old 
German  proverb,  which  means  that  there  are  other 
folks  in  the  world  besides  yourself,  although  you 
may  not  see  them.  As  plants  without  sunlight  grow 
pale  and  feeble,  so  our  lives,  if  our  heart’s  window 
towards  Heaven  is  closed  and  the  sun  of  righteous- 
ness  shut  out,  will  become  dwarfed  and  useless. 
Charles  Lamb  said,  the  greatest  pleasure  known  is  to 
do  a good  action  by  stealth,  and  have  it  found  out  by 
accident. 

Don’t  let  us  be  afraid  of  enthusiasm.  There  is 
more  lack  of  heart  than  of  brain.  The  world  is  not 
starving  for  need  of  education  half  as  much  as  for 
warm,  earnest  interest  of  soul  for  soul.  We  agree 
with  the  Indian  who,  when  talked  to  about  having  too 
much  zeal,  said:  “I  think  it  is  better  for  the  pot  to  boil 
over  than  not  to  boil  at  all.” 

An  old  Scotchman  was  taking  his  grist  to  the  mill 
in  sacks  thrown  across  the  back  of  his  horse,  when  the 
horse  stumbled  and  the  grain  fell  to  the  ground.  He 


THE  LIBERAL  SOUL. 


639 


had  not  strength  to  raise  it,  being  an  aged  man,  but 
he  saw  a horseman  riding  along,  and  thought  he  would 
ask  him  for  help.  The  horseman  proved  to  be  a 
nobleman  who  lived  in  the  castle  hard  by,  and  the 
farmer  could  not  muster  courage  to  ask  a favor  of  him. 
But  the  nobleman  was  a gentleman  also,  and,  not  wait- 
ing to  be  asked,  he  dismounted,  and  between  them 
they  lifted  the  grain  to  the  horse’s  back.  John — for  he 
was  a gentleman,  too — lifted  his  cap  and  said:  “My 
lord,  how  shall  I ever  thank  you  for  your  kindness?” 
“Very  easily,  John,”  replied  the  nobleman;  “whenever 
you  see  another  man  in  the  same  plight  as  you  were 
in  just  now,  help  him,  and  that  will  be  thanking  me.” 

The  little  I have  seen  of  the  world  teaches  me  to 
look  upon  the  errors  of  others  in  sorrow,  not  in  anger. 
When  I take  the  history  of  one  poor  heart  that  has 
sinned  and  suffered,  and  represent  to  myself  the 
struggles  and  temptations  it  has  passed  through,  the 
brief  pulsations  of  joy,  the  feverish  inquietude  of  hope 
and  fear,  the  pressure  of  want,  the  desertion  of  friends, 
I would  fain  leave  the  erring  soul  of  my  fellow-man 
with  Him  from  whose  hand  it  came. 

Religion  is  life;  and  life  will  cease  without  exercise. 
A church  grows  richer  by  giving  its  wealth.  It  grows 
stronger  by  the  expenditure  of  its  strength,  just  as  the 
blacksmith’s  arm  strengthens  with  every  sturdy  blow. 
Show  us  the  churches  that  have  organized  mission 
bands,  and  send  forth  missionaries  to  foreign  lands, 
and  we  will  show,  by  actual  statistics,  that  they  have 
received  constant  accessions  of  strength.  For  every 
new  root  striking  into  deeper  soil,  for  every  branch 


640 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


spreading  out  in  clearer  light  and  fuller  sunshine,  the 
parent  tree  has  grown  larger  and  healthier. 

On  the  other  hand,  churches  that  have  closed  their 
hearts  to  foreign  work  have  declined  in  numbers  and 
in  strength.  You  will  remember  that  Andrew  Fuller 
saved  the  church  at  Kettering  from  declension  and 
extinction  by  enlisting  its  energies  in  the  foreign  field. 
While  they  worked  for  self  the  Lord  did  not  work  with 
them. 

Twenty-seven  years  after  its  establishment  the 
Sandwich  Island  mission  must  have  broken  up  and 
disbanded,  had  they  not  extended  their  sympathies  and 
efforts  to  embrace  others  more  destitute.  Dr.  Ander- 
son, in  a lecture  on  “ The  Development  of  Modern 
Missions,”  says,  “ It  is  impossible  for  mission  churches 
to  reach  their  highest  and  truest  prosperity  without  the 
aid  of  what  is  to  them  a foreign  mission.”  And  it  is 
equally  true  of  our  home  churches  that  their  only  sal- 
vation from  effeminacy  and  decay  lies  in  a hearty 
espousal  of  the  cause  of  missions.  Confined  within 
the  narrow  circle  of  home,  sympathies  grow  weak, 
energies  slacken;  love  loses  it's  strongest  stimulant — 
unselfish  devotion  ; and  faith  lacks  the  vindication  and 
confirmation  which  crowns  its  conquests  over  bar- 
barism. As  the  Chinese  woman’s  foot,  cramped  and 
confined,  renders  weak  and  nerveless  her  whole  physi- 
cal nature,  so  the  dwarfing  and  narrowing  of  Christian 
sympathy  and  charity  enervate  the  whole  character. 
When  ecclesiastical  tyranny  tried  to  mould  the  free 
thought  of  the  Puritans  by  ritual  and  litany,  and  even 
to  curb  its  expression  by  chains  and  prison  walls,  it 


THE  LIBERAL  SOUL. 


641 


sought  a broader  field  for  expansion  in  the  New 
World;  and  the  remarkable  growth  of  their  principles 
attests  God’s  approval  of  their  exodus  to  a wider 
sphere.  The  gospel  is  like  leaven ; it  leavens  the 
whole  lump.  It  is  like  a mustard-tree  which  shall  fill 
the  whole  earth. 

It  is  when  we  think  more  of  our  duties  than  our 
rights ; when  we  are  slowr  to  take  offense,  and  ready 
to  forgive ; when  we  strive  earnestly  to  overcome  evil 
with  good,  then  it  is  that  we  have  the  richest,  largest 
manhood,  and  touch  the  higher  levels  of  Christian 
thought  and  life. 

Be  indifferent  to  nothing  which  has  any  relation  to 
the  welfare  of  men.  Be  not  afraid  of  diminishing 
your  own  happiness  by  seeking  that  of  others.  De- 
vise liberal  things,  and  let  not  avarice  shut  up  your 
hand  from  giving  to  him  that  needeth,  and  to  promote 
the  cause  of  piety  and  humanity. 

Charity  is  a universal  duty  which  it  is  in  every 
man’s  power  sometimes  to  practice,  since  every  degree 
of  assistance  given  to  another  upon  proper  motives  is 
an  act  of  charity;  and  there  is  scarcely  any  man  in 
such  a state  of  imbecility  as  that  he  may  not,  on  some 
occasions,  benefit  his  neighbor. 

All  truly  consecrated  men  learn,  little  by  little,  that 
what  they  are  consecrated  to  is  not  joy  or  sorrow,  but 
divine  idea  and  a profound  obedience,  which  can  find 
their  full  expression,  not  in  joy  and  not  in  sorrow,  but 
in  the  mysterious  and  inseparable  mingling  of  the  two. 

Running  water  is  sweet.  It  is  your  tight  tank  that 
gets  slimy,  and  putrid,  and  unwholesome.  He  who 

41 


642 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


opens  his  eyes  to  see  the  wants  and  woes  of  other 
people,  and  goes  to  work  to  relieve  them,  will  some- 
how insensibly  forget  to  make  a fuss  about  his  own 
trifles. 

There  was  once  a minister  of  the  gospel  who  never 
built  a church  ; who  never  preached  in  one  ; who  never 
proposed  a church  fair  to  buy  a new  carpet ; who 
never  founded  a new  sect ; who  never  belonged  to 
any  sect;  who  frequented  the  houses  of  publicans,  and 
ate  and  drank  with  sinners  ; who  never  received  a 
salary ; who  never  asked  for  one  ; who  never  wore  a 
black  suit  or  a white  necktie  ; who  never  used  a prayer 
book,  or  a hymn  book,  or  wrote  a sermon  ; who  never 
hired  a cornet  soloist  to  draw  souls  to  hear  the 
“Word”;  who  never  advertised  his  sermons;  who 
never  took  a text  for  his  sermons ; who  never  went 
through  a course  of  theological  study ; who  never 
was  ordained;  who  was  never  even  “converted”; 
who  never  went  to  conference.  Who  was  he  ? 
Christ. 

It  is  not  the  highest  and  noblest  who  murmur  at 
being  set  to  work  which  they  consider  beneath  them, 
and  who  have  a supreme  sense  of  their  own  dignity. 
They  know  that  nothing  which  is  honorable  and  use- 
ful can  disgrace  them ; only  a vain  conceit  of  their 
own  abilities  and  importance  can  do  that.  Moses 
tended  sheep  as  calmly  as  if  there  was  no  other  occu- 
pation for  a great  man,  and  he  was  as  truly  prince 
sitting  there,  crook  in  hand,  in  the  desert,  as  when  he 
headed  the  armies  of  Egpyt.  The  angel,  bidden  to 
cook  bread  for  the  sleeping  prophet,  did  not  feel  his 


THE  LIBERAL  SOUL.  643 

dignity  insulted,  and  was  none  the  less  an  angel  than 
when  he  stood  beside  the  throne  in  heaven. 

You  can  hear  men  say,  “A  man  of  my  education 
and  experience  ought  to  do  better  than  that.”  Yes, 
do  better,  if  you  can,  if  there  is  anything  better  at 
hand.  Head  Egypt’s  armies  or  guide  Israel’s  wander- 
ings, when  God  calls  you  to  do  these,  but  in  the  mean- 
time, tend  sheep,  if  need  be,  as  cheerfully  as  you 
would  do  the  greater  things.  “ I never  expected  I 
would  come  to  this,  I was  not  brought  up  to  such 
work.”  The  son  of  Pharaoh’s  daughter  was  not 
brought  up  to  be  a shepherd  in  the  wilderness;  yet 
God  gave  him  just  that  work  to  do  for  forty  years. 
Let  us  in  very  shame,  then,  utter  no  complaints  of  the 
lot  which  God  has  given  us,  unless  we  have  more 
ability  and  education  than  had  Moses,  and  have  occu- 
pied higher  positions,  or  have  been  kept  for  more  than 
forty  years  at  work  our  vanity  says  is  beneath  us. 

There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth ; and 
there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it 
tendeth  to  poverty.  As  the  purse  is  emptied  the  heart 
is  filled.  What  we  employ  in  charitable  uses  during 
our  lives  is  given  away  from  ourselves  : what  we  be- 
queath at  our  death  is  given  from  others  only,  as  our 
nearest  relations. 

He  that  hath  pity  upon  the  poor  lendeth  unto  the 
Lord;  and  that  which  he  hath  given  will  he  pay  him 
again.  The  Koran  teaches  that  “ Prayer  carries  us 
half-way  to  God,  fasting  brings  us  to  the  door  of  his 
palace,  and  almsgiving  procures  us  admission.” 

Many  Christians  regulate  their  giving  by  that  of 


644 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


some  one  else;  they  will  give  as  much  as  others,  but 
no  more.  This  is  contrary  to  the  scriptural  rule.  We 
cannot  exercise  this  grace  according  to  our  brother’s 
rule  any  more  than  we  can  thus  exercise  other  Chris- 
tian graces.  We  could  as  well  say,  we  will  pray  as 
others  pray,  we  will  know  as  others  know,  we  will  love 
as  others  love,  no  more,  no  less.  We  must  give  as 
the  Lord  has  prospered  us,  according  to  what  we  have. 
If  God  has  prospered  us  abundantly  it  is  our  duty  to 
give  liberally.  We  are  stewards  of  what  we  possess, 
and  where  much  is  given  much  is  required.  Under 
the  old  dispensation  a tenth  was  required,  but  we  are 
under  grace,  a thoughtful  gratitude  is  our  rule,  and 
not  ad  valorem  assessment.  It  would  be  contrary  to 
the  New  Testament  to  assess  the  members  according 
to  the  tax-list ; room  must  be  given  to  abound  in  this 
grace.  Barnabas  is  at  liberty  to  sell  his  land  and  give 
the  proceeds  to  God,  and  the  poor  widow  may  cast  in 
her  two  mites;  gratitude  must  not  be  hampered. 

Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase  !) 

Awoke  one  night  from  a deep  dream  of  peace, 

And  saw  within  the  moonlight  of  his  room, 

Making  it  rich  and  like  a lily  in  bloom, 

An  angel  writing  in  a book  of  gold. 

Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold; 

And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 

“What  writest  thou?”  The  vision  raised  its  head, 

And,  with  a look  made  of  all  sweet  accord, 

Answered,  “ The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord.” 

“And  is  mine  one?”  asked  Abou.  “Nay,  not  so,” 

Replied  the  angel.  Abou  spoke  more  low. 

But  cheerily  still ; and  said,  “ I pray  thee,  then, 

Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men,” 

The  angel  wrote,  and  vanished.  The  next  night 
It  came  again,  with  a great  wakening  light, 

And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  blest ; 

And,  lo  ! Ben  Adhem’s  name  led  all  the  rest.  Leigh  Hunt. 


PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE. 


Bast,  Is? present  and  Future. 

“My  days  are  swifter  than  a courier,  they  fly  away. 
They  are  as  the  swift  ships,  as  the  eagle.”  So  said 
Job — he  who  had  sat  in  quiet  contemplation  beneath 
his  palm-tree  in  the  long  summers  of  Edom,  while  four- 
score years  passed  by,  and  who  had  still  a hundred 
and  forty  years  of  happy  and  restful  life  ahead  of  him. 
And  yet  his  days  were  swift  as  the  flying  courier,  as 
the  ship  careering  before  the  wind,  as  the  eagle  swoop- 
ing down  upon  its  quarry,  as  the  dry  leaf  in  the  storm, 
as  the  hurrying  cloud.  Job  looked  abroad  for  simili- 
tudes of  evanescence,  of  unreality,  of  celerity,  with 
which  to  compare  his  days.  But  his  days,  hour  for 
hour,  were  longer  than  our  own.  Of  the  tremendous 
rush  with  which  we  pass  the  milestones  of  life,  he  knew 
nothing.  At  the  period  when  our  heads  grow  frosty, 
our  brows  show  the  furrows  of  care,  and  sorrow  and 
toil,  his  was  smooth  with  the  flush  of  youth. 

But  we  do  not  envy  Job.  Into  our  days,  as  short 
as  they  are,  are  compressed  more  of  knowledge, 
experience,  and  perhaps  of  pleasure  than  Job  could 
see  in  all  his  years.  Even  if  it  were  otherwise,  we  do 
not  look  regretfully  at  the  days  as  they  speed  back- 
ward from  us.  Let  them  fly.  There  is  a whole  eter- 
nity of  them  ahead  of  us,  and  all  that  are  gone  do  not 
diminish  the  store.  The  eagle  swooping  from  the 
cliff  will  quickly  reach  the  valley.  The  courier  will 
deliver  his  message.  The  ship  will  grate  upon  the 


6q6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


sands  of  the  far-off  shore.  But  the  line  of  the  soul’s 
flight  reaches  through  eternity.  It  will  be  speeding  on 
in  ever  increasing  strength  when  the  visible  heavens 
are  rolled  together  as  a scroll,  folded  and  laid  aside. 

We  hear  much  of  misspent  years.  They  are  not 
wasted  unless  they  are  given  to  the  service  of  Satan 
and  to  the  neglect  of  self  and  God.  Every  hour  of 
innocent  joy,  with  family  or  friends,  books  or  travel,  is 
well  spent.  Let  them  fly!  We  are  homesick  to  see 
that  sweet  sister  who  has  been  upon  the  other  shore 
these  twenty  years,  and  the  face  of  that  dear  father  who 
is  with  her;  and,  above  all,  that  Elder  Brother  whose 
bright  majestic  brow  will  beam  upon  us.  Let  them 
trebly  outstrip  the  steed,  the  leaf,  the  ship,  the  cloud. 
Freight  them  with  love,  with  charity,  with  achieve- 
ment, if  we  can,  for  they  rush  in  a curve  like  planets, 
and  will  round  in  upon  us,  bearing  their  freight  with 
them  when  we  strike  on  the  other  side.  If  they  are 
bright,  they  are  bright  because  they  fly.  If  they  are 
gloomy,  they  were  better  gone  than  staying.  We 
shall  lift  up  no  sad  requiem  over  the  disappearance  of 
the  days  and  years  as  they  speed  past  us. 

We  have  arrived  at  the  days  foretold  by  the  pro- 
phet, when  “knowledge  shall  be  increased  and  many 
shall  run  to  and  fro.”  The  intellectual  progress  of  the 
race  during  the  last  half  century  has  indeed  been  great. 
But  admiration  is  not  the  only  feeling  of  the  thought- 
ful mind  when  observing  this  striking  advance  in  intel- 
lectual acquirement.  We  see  that  man  has  not  yet 
fully  mastered  the  knowledge  he  has  acquired.  He 
runs  to  and  fro.  He  rushes  from  one  extreme  to  the 


PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE. 


647 


other.  How  many  chapters  of  modern  history,  both 
political  and  religious,  are  full  of  the  records  of  this 
mental  vacillation  of  our  race,  of  this  illogical  and 
absurd  tendency  to  pass  from  one  extreme  to  the  point 
farthest  from  it. 

Mr.  Stuart  Mill  has  said  in  Parliament  in  connec- 
tion with  this  subject,  that  “the  tyranny  of  established 
custom  has  entirely  passed  away.”  Nothing  can  be 
more  true  than  this  assertion.  As  a rule,  the  past  is 
now  looked  upon  with  doubt,  with  suspicion,  often  with 
a certain  sort  of  contempt,  very  far  from  being  always 
consistent  with  sound  reason.  At  present  the  more 
startling  an  assertion,  the  farther  it  wanders  from  all 
past  experience,  the  greater  are  its  chances  of  attract- 
ing attention,  of  gaining  adherents,  of  achieving  at 
least  a partial  and  temporary  success.  Such  is  the 
restlessness  of  human  nature  that  it  will  often,  from 
mere  weak  hankering  after  change,  hug  to  its  bosom 
the  wildest  theories,  and  yield  them  a temporary  alle- 
giance. 

The  old  man  looks  down  and  thinks  of  the  past. 
The  young  man  looks  up  and  thinks  of  the  future. 
The  child  looks  everywhere  and  thinks  of  nothing. 
And  there  are  a great  many  children  in  the  world. 

Old  people  look  backward.  Most  of  their  joys 
lie  in  the  past.  The  years  that  are  gone  are  full  of 
happy  memories  and  associations  which  attract  their 
hearts.  The  light  of  other  days  is  sweet  and  pleasant. 
Bowed  down  with  cares  and  smitten  with  griefs,  they 
reach  back  the  hand  of  longing  to  seize  once  more,  if 
they  may,  the  experiences  that  were  theirs  in  the  long 


648 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ago.  But  this  is  not  the  case  with  young  people. 
They  have  their  life  to  live,  and  they  look  forward  with 
eager  desire  for  its  pleasures  and  work.  With  glow- 
ing imaginings  of  what  they  mean  to  be  and  to  do, 
they  build  castles  in  the  air,  whose  flimsy  walls  they 
hope  to  see  transmuted  into  structures  of  solid  and 
substantial  reality.  The  thought  of  hindrance  and 
failure  they  resolutely  drive  from  their  minds. 

A little  more  than  a century  ago  there  was  not  a 
medical  school  in  America.  Fifty  years  ago  a large 
portion  of  our  country  was  without  free  public  schools. 
Our  vast  array  of  theological,  art  and  science  schools 
are  all  of  modern  origin.  Newspapers,  magazines, 
and  especially  children’s  literature,  were  unknown  a 
few  generations  back.  Think  of  the  time  when  every 
patient  was  bled  ; fevers  were  treated  without  water; 
bones  were  set  and  limbs  amputated  without  chloro- 
form; mercurial  salivation  was  the  universal  cure-all. 
The  time  was  when  a stove  was  not  allowed  in  the 
meeting-house  ; a preacher  was  unpopular  who  did  not 
talk  an  hour  or  two  in  his  sermon  ; the  different  de- 
nominations hurled  anathemas  at  one  another,  and 
believed  that  they  served  God  thereby. 

You  might  better  pluck  the  blossom  off  the  tree 
and  attempt  to  crowd  it  back  into  the  bud,  or  catch 
the  eagle  that  flies  in  heaven  and  attempt  to  put  it 
back  into  the  shell,  or  take  the  full-grown  man  and  put 
him  in  lonor  clothes  and  rock  him  in  his  mother’s 

o 

cradle,  than  attempt  to  put  the  nineteenth  century  back 
into  the  clothes,  or  shell,  or  bud  of  the  sixteenth. 

To-day  has  been  a long  time  coming.  It  has  been 


PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE. 


649 


on  the  wing-  ever  since  the  morning  stars  first  sang 
together.  Every  additional  age  has  given  it  a treasure 
to  bring  along.  This  morning  the  casket  was  opened 
and  made  us  rich.  This  evening  the  messenger  will 
gather  up  all  that  we  do  not  use  of  these  treasures 
and  carry  them  away.  This  ought  to  be  a very  busy 
day. 

We  live  amid  the  blessed  results  of  Christianity. 
The  leaven,  so  little  when  first  inserted,  is  rapidly  fer- 
menting, and  will  soon  leaven  the  entire  mass  of 
humanity.  The  mustard  tree,  so  small,  has  sprung 
into  a great  tree,  affording  “ leaves  for  the  healing  of 
the  nations,”  and  extending  its  branches  for  a shelter  to 
the  weak  and  helpless,  and  affording  a cooling  shade 
for  the  rest  of  those  who  labor  and  are  heavy  laden. 
The  kingdom,  first  promised  to  a little  flock,  has  ex- 
tended its  boundaries  far  and  wide,  exerting  its 
benign  influences  over  the  civilized  and  the  barbarous, 
the  learned  and  the  ignorant,  the  rich  and  the  poor, 
the  high  and  the  low ; blessing  the  king  upon  his 
throne  and  the  peasant  in  his  cottage ; purifying  the 
centers  of  civilization,  and  pursuing  men  with  its  con- 
servative and  elevating  powers,  to  the  outermost 
verge  of  human  society. 

The  present  age  may  be  termed,  by  way  of  dis- 
tinction, the  age  of  sentiment ; a word  which,  in  the 
implication  it  now  bears,  was  unknown  to  our  plain 
ancestors.  Sentiment  is  the  varnish  of  virtue  to  con- 
ceal the  deformity  of  vice ; and  it  is  not  uncommon 
for  the  same  persons  to  make  a jest  of  religion,  to 
break  through  the  most  solemn  ties  and  engagements, 


650  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTLI. 

to  practice  every  art  of  latent  fraud  and  open  seduc- 
tion, and  yet  to  value  themselves  on  speaking  and 
writing  sentimentally. 

With  America  feeding  nearly  all  the  old  world,  it 
is  difficult  to  realize  that  wheat  was  unknown  in  this 
country  prior  to  its  discovery  by  Columbus.  Down 
to  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  it  was  a princi- 
pal article  of  food  only  among  the  more  wealthy ; and 
“ the  servants  in  their  houses  (in  England)  were  still 
furnished  with  oats,  barley  and  rye.”  Maize,  or  Indian 
corn,  was  the  food  principally  used  in  America.  At 
the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  (less  than  one 
hundred  years  ago)  an  English  historian  writes:  “So 
small  was  the  quantity  of  wheat  used  in  the  county  of 
Cumberland,  that  it  was  only  a rich  family  that  used  a 
peck  of  wheat  in  the  course  of  the  year,  and  that  was 
used  at  Christmas.  The  usual  treat  for  a stranger 
was  a thick  oat-cake,  called  ‘ haver-bannock,  ’ and 
butter.” 

The  resources  of  America  are  so  vast  as  to  be 
almost  incomprehensible,  and  we  can  feel  little  doubt 
that  it  is  destined  to  support  the  most  dense  popula- 
tion of  any  country  upon  the  globe.  The  development 
of  our  trade  with  other  countries  is  progressing  in 
an  astonishingly  rapid  manner.  The  Manchester 
“ Guardian  ” says  : “ A few  years  ago  not  an  ounce  of 
American  beef  reached  our  shores;  now  it  comes  in 
thousands  and  millions  of  tons.”  We  are  even  sup- 
plying many  foreign  countries  with  books  and  book- 
making machinery. 

A few  years  ago  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  especially 


PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE.  65 1 

of  tropical  fruit,  was  scarcely  known.  Now,  the  value 
of  lemons,  oranges,  bananas,  pineapples  and  other 
fruits  of  a like  character,  used  in  the  United  States 
alone,  amounts  to  many  millions  of  dollars  each  year, 
and  their  use  is  rapidly  increasing.  Melons,  so 
abundant  now,  came  originally  from  Asia.  In  the 
seventeenth  century  the  melon  began  to  be  cultivated 
in  Europe. 

It  is  well  to  look  forward.  To  anticipate  the  future 
and  to  prepare  for  it  is  not  only  perfectly  proper  but 
eminently  wise.  But  then  we  should  be  careful  that 
we  look  forward  to  something  worthy  and  noble.  To 
have  only  anticipations  and  expectations  of  selfish  and 
worldly  profits  and  pleasures  is  to  cherish  the  dreams 
of  a fool.  To  aim  to  spend  the  life  for  God  and  man 
and  the  interests  of  the  higher  nature  is  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  a career  full  of  the  truest  joy  and 
largest  success.  O young  people,  standing  on  the 
threshold  of  a new  year,  look  forward  to  something 
worthy  your  nobler  nature.  Then,  when  life  nears  its 
close,  looking  backward  with  the  aged  apostle,  you 
may  say:  “I  have  fought  a good  fight,  I have  finished 
my  course,  I have  kept  the  faith and  looking  for- 
ward, may  say  also  with  him:  “ Henceforth  is  reserved 
for  me  a crown  of  righteousness.” 

As  the  eye  which  has  gazed  at  the  sun  cannot 
immediately  discern  any  other  object;  as  the  man  who 
has  been  accustomed  to  behold  the  ocean  turns  with 
contempt  from  a stagnant  pool;  so  the  mind  which  has 
contemplated  eternity  overlooks  and  despises  the 
things  of  time. 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


652 

The  golden  harvest  lies  in  the  future,  not  the  past. 
The  true  Eden  is  to  come.  Out  of  seemingly  chaotic 
elements  God  is  evolving  His  kingdom  of  righteous- 
ness and  joy  and  peace. 


Wonders  op  Haipure. 

It  is  a great  mortification  to  the  vanity  of  man  that 
his  utmost  art  and  industry  can  never  equal  the 
meanest  of  nature’s  productions,  either  for  beauty  or 
value.  Art  is  only  the  underworkman,  and  is  em- 
ployed to  give  a few  strokes  of  embellishment  to  those 
pieces  which  come  from  the  hand  of  the  master. 

What  can  be  more  foolish  than  to  think  that  all 
this  rare  fabric  of  heaven  and  earth  could  come  by 
chance,  when  all  the  skill  of  art  is  not  able  to  make  an 
oyster ! 

It  is  by  the  contemplation  of  nature  that  we  are 
raised  up  to  a just  appreciation  of  nature’s  God.  The 
world  is  full  of  wonders  and  the  more  of  nature’s 
secrets  a man  discovers,  the  more  he  appreciates  his 
former  ignorance,  and  the  vast  domain  of  undiscovered 
and  hidden  treasures.  No  two  countries  are  alike, 
and  no  two  travelers  will  chance  upon  exactly  the  same 
things,  hence  the  great  variety  of  descriptions  given 
in  detail.  We  hope  that  the  little  taste  here  given  of 
the  marvelous  thing's  recorded  of  this  wonderful  sub- 
ject,  will  inspire  many  a young  reader  with  thirst  for 
further  knowledge,  and  zeal  for  patient  investigatLi.. 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE. 


653 


A bunch  of  grapes  from  Santa  Barbara,  lately 
shown  in  San  Francisco,  was  three  feet  long  and  six 
feet  in  circumference,  and  weighed  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  pounds.  There  is  a grapevine  in  Santa 
Barbara,  planted  there  by  the  old  Spanish  monks, 
which  is  larger  around  than  a man’s  body,  at  its  base, 
and  bears  thousands  of  pounds  of  grapes  every  year. 

Victoria,  in  New  South  Wales,  is  a noted  place  for 
the  growth  of  perfume-yielding  plants,  because  such 
plants  as  the  mignonette,  sweet  verbena,  jasmine, 
rose,  lavender,  acacia,  heliotrope,  rosemary,  wall 
flower,  laurel,  orange  and  the  sweet-scented  geraniums 
are  found  there  in  greater  perfection  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  world.  An  acre  of  jasmine  plants,  eighty 
thousand  in  number,  will  produce  five  thousand  pounds 
of  flowers,  valued  at  one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars;  an  acre  of  rose  trees,  ten  thousand  in 
number,  will  realize  three  hundred  and  seventy-five 
dollars. 

The  full-grown  mahogany  tree  is  one  of  the 
monarchs  of  tropical  America.  Its  vast  trunk  and 
massive  arms,  rising  to  a lofty  height  and  spreading 
with  graceful  sweep  over  immense  spaces  covered  with 
beautiful  foliage,  bright,  glossy,  light,  airy,  clinging  so 
long  to  the  spray  as  to  make  it  almost  evergreen, 
present  a rare  combination  of  loveliness  and  grandeur. 
The  leaves  are  very  small,  delicate,  and  polished  like 
those  of  the  laurel.  The  flowers  are  small  and  white, 
or  greenish  yellow.  Lumbermen,  in  felling  a tree, 
build  a platform  twelve  feet  high  and  cut  it  above  the 
platform,  thus  relinquishing  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  of  the 


654  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

largest  part  of  the  tree.  Yet  some  trees  have  yielded 
twelve  thousand  superficial  feet  of  lumber,  and  have 
sold  for  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

The  wonders  of  nature  found  in  the  Tropics  are 
innumerable.  Agassiz  counted  over  two  thousand 
varieties  of  fresh-water  fish.  Any  one  attending  the 
great  Centennial  exhibition  of  1876  must  have  been 
bewildered  at  the  great  variety  of  curious  vegetable 
products  shown  in  the  Brazilian  and  other  South 
American  exhibits.  Nor  were  these  one-tenth  part 
of  what  may  be  seen  by  visiting  those  countries. 

Boussingault  has  analyzed  the  milk  from  the  cow- 
tree  of  South  America.  He  finds  the  composition 
more  like  cream  than  milk,  containing,  however,  all  the 
elements  of  milk,  but  in  proportions  different  from 
those  of  milk.  The  milk  is  considered  very  fattening, 
which  might  be  inferred  from  its  composition. 

There  is  a monster  orange-tree  near  Fort  Harley, 
Florida,  that  measures  nine  feet  one  inch  in  circumfer- 
ence. It  is  over  fifty  years  old,  and  some  seasons  has 
had  over  nine  thousand  oranges  on  it. 

One  of  the  wonders  of  the,  American  forests  is  the 
fir-tree  of  Puget  Sound.  The  trees  average  two  hun- 
dred feet  high,  and  some  specimens  have  been  cut  that 
measured  three  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  length  and 
twelve  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  with  a straight  and 
well  proportioned  log  length  of  ninety  feet  to  the  first 
limb. 

The  mammoth  trees  of  Calaveras,  California,  were 
first  discovered  by  Mr.  Dowd  in  1850.  Within  an  area 
of  fifty  acres  there  are  twenty  trees  that  measure  about 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE. 


655 


seventy-eight  feet  around  the  base.  They  average 
about  three  hundred  feet  in  height.  One  of  them 
which  was  cut  down  measured  three  hundred  and  two 
feet  in  length  and  contained  five  hundred  thousand 
cubic  feet  of  timber.  It  was  supposed  to  be  about 
three  thousand  years  of  age. 

A cypress  tree  seventy-five  feet  high,  ten  feet  in 
diameter,  and  more  than  two  thousand  eight  hundred 
years  old,  was  recently  destroyed  near  Sparta,  Greece. 
This  celebrated  remnant  of  the  life  of  bygone  ages  was 
described  by  Pausanias  four  hundred  years  before 
Christ.  The  Spartans  mourn  its  loss. 

Australia  possesses  more  vegetable  curiosities  than 
perhaps  any  other  country  on  the  earth.  It  has  a 
“devil  ” tree  ; another  that  stings  if  you  touch  its  leaves 
only ; while  there  are  great  numbers  of  trees  with  use- 
ful and  healthy  food  as  fruit. 

Dr.  Buckner,  a missionary  to  the  Indians,  tells  of  a 
discovery  he  made,  and  says:  “I  was  not  long  in 
deciding  that  I was  in  the  midst  of  a petrified  forest  of 
extinct  trees,  unlike  any  living  specimens  that  I have 
ever  seen.  There  were  no  whole  trees,  nor  any  with 
roots  and  branches  ; but  I am  sure  they  were  once  a 
vegetable  growth  ; and  my  opinion  is  they  belonged 
to  the  flora  of  a tropical  climate.  Some  of  the  speci- 
mens actually  measured  fifteen  inches  in  diameter 
while  some,  I think,  were  even  larger,  and  usually  the 
broken  pieces  resembled  grindstones  ; but  some  were 
three  or  four  feet  high,  for  they  invariably  stood  on 
their  larger  base,  none  lying  prone,  and  all  the  bases 
buried  in  the  earth.  The  specimens  showed  that  the 


656 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


vegetables  had  been  of  rapid  growth,  the  trunks  being 
densely  covered  with  leaves,  for  the  supposed  decora- 
tions, like  an  impression  made  with  the  prongs  of  a 
fork,  were  nothing  more  than  the  points  where  leaves 
had  once  been  attached.  From  the  diameter  of  the 
bases  and  the  taper,  as  shown  by  the  specimens,  I 
judge  the  trees  had  been  quite  tall,  and  there  were 
shown  many  reasons,  which  I will  not  give  here,  for 
believing  they  were  of  rapid  growth,  of  a succulent 
nature  like  the  turnip,  cabbage  or  sweet  potato,  and 
it  may  be  that  they  furnished  agreeable  food  for  the 
mastodons  and  megatheriums  whose  fossil  bones  are 
found  in  this  country. 

“ I have  been  a curiosity-monger  all  my  life,  and 
have  gathered  many  specimens,  but  these  are  the  most 
beautiful  petrifactions  of  vegetables  that  I have  ever 
seen,  and  I have  inspected  many  museums. 

“ The  beautiful  indentures  that  look  as  if  made  by  a 
skilled  artist  are  as  uniform  and  regular  as  anything  in 
nature  or  art,  and  could  be  no  more  the  work  of 
chance  than  could  a copy  of  Shakespeare  be  produced 
by  throwing  down  carelessly  the  English  alphabet.” 

The  “Scotsman,”  speaking  of  American  wonders, 
says:  “The  greatest  cataract  in  the  world  is  the  Falls  of 
Niagara.  The  greatest  cave  in  the  world  is  the  Mam- 
moth  Cave  of  Kentucky.  The  greatest  river  in  the 
world  is  the  Mississippi.  The  largest  lake  in  the 
world  is  Lake  Superior,  which  is  truly  an  inland  sea, 
being  four  hundred  and  thirty  miles  long  and  one 
thousand  feet  deep.  The  longest  railroad  in  the  world 
is  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  which  is  over  three 


r‘0  S E i [ T E FALLS  AM  S3)  VALLEY,  (D  A L 1 F 0 ft  M S k 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE. 


657 


thousand  miles.  The  greatest  natural  bridge  is  over 
Cedar  Creek,  in  Virginia.  The  greatest  mass  of  solid 
iron  in  the  world  is  the  great  Iron  Mountain  in  Mis- 
souri. The  largest  deposit  of  Anthracite  coal  in  the 
world  is  in  Pennsylvania.” 

In  1872  the  region  at  the  source  of  the  Yellow- 
stone river,  in  the  Rocky  mountains,  sixty-five  miles 
long  by  fifty-five  miles  broad,  was  reserved  by  con- 
gress as  a “public  park  or  pleasuring  ground,  for  the 
benefit  and  enjoyment  of  the  people.”  It  is  a wonder- 
ful tract  of  land,  filled  with  stupendous  wildness  in  all 
forms,  and  a prodigality  of  color.  It  contains  the  most 
striking  of  all  the  mountains,  gorges,  falls,  rivers  and 
lakes  in  this  country,  if  not  in  the  world.  There  are 
numerous  hot  springs,  boiling  geysers,  cataracts,  lakes, 
fountains  of  steam  and  other  curiosities,  crowded 
together.  No  spot  upon  the  face  of  this  earth  has 
such  a fascination  for  the  lovers  of  Nature’s  wonders 
as  this  great  National  Park. 

The  lowest  point  within  the  Yellowstone  National 
Park  is  said  to  be  the  mouth  of  Gardiner’s  river  on  its 
northern  boundary  line.  This  is  five  thousand  four 
hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Yellowstone 
lake  is  seven  thousand  eight  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea  level. 

The  Yosemite  Valley  and  Falls,  of  California,  is 
doubtless,  next  to  the  Niagara  Falls,  the  most  cele- 
brated of  all  American  natural  wonders.  Poets  have 
described  the  scenery  of  this  valley,  and  painters  have 
portrayed  its  colors  and  form,  until  it  has  become 

familiar  to  most  people.  The  falls  are  two  thousand 
42 


658 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


seven  hundred  feet  in  height.  The  first  fall  is  sixteen 
hundred  feet;  the  second  fall  seven  hundred  feet;  the 
lower  one  four  hundred  feet.  Our  steel  plate  gives 
the  most  natural  and  realistic  view  of  this  great  natural 
wonder  that  has  ever  been  made. 

The  Pictured  Rocks  on  the  Southern  shore  of  Lake 
Superior  are  among  the  most  wonderful  formations  of 
the  kind  known  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  They  are 
of  great  height,  and  washed  by  the  waves  into  the 
most  fantastic  and  picturesque  forms.  The  iron  ore 
streaked  throughout  the  sandstone  has  been  washed 
down  and  discolored  by  the  rains  of  centuries,  until  it 
looks,  as  one  traveler  expressed  it,  “ as  though  the 
devil  had  taken  his  paintbrush  and  daubed  away  at 
random.” 

Harper’s  Ferry,  on  the  Potomac  river,  is  a place 
long  celebrated  for  its  picturesque  scenery,  and  de- 
scribed by  President  Jefferson  in  his  enthusiastic 
manner,  as  one  of  the  most  attractive  scenes  upon 
earth. 

Dead  Lake,  in  California,  is  peculiar  in  having  no 
visible  outlet,  though  a large  stream  runs  into  it.  The 
Indian  believes  that  it  is  bottomless,  and  marks  the  spot 
where  a wicked  tribed  once  sank  into  the  ground.  No 
Indian  can  be  induced  to  go  near  it. 

There  is  a wonderful  lake  in  Wright  County,  Iowa, 
called  the  Walled  lake.  It  seems  to  have  been  walled 
in  at  some  remote  period.  It  has  a belt  of  oak  trees 
surrounding  the  lake.  The  water  is  clear  and  cold, 
the  soil  sandy.  It  occupies  two  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred acres  and  has  a depth  of  water  as  great  as  twenty- 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE. 


659 


five  feet.  It  is  singular  that  no  one  has  been  able  to 
ascertain  where  the  water  comes  from  nor  where  it 
goes,  yet  it  is  always  clear  and  fresh. 

Spokane  Falls,  Washington  Territory,  claims  to 
have  a medical  lake  a mile  and  a half  long  that  would 
have  satisfied  even  Ponce  de  Leon’s  search  for  the 
fountain  of  youth.  The  water  is  clear  and  of  a dark 
color,  and,  besides  curing  skin  diseases  of  men  and 
beasts,  relieves  nervous  troubles,  rheumatism,  paraly- 
sis and  similar  ailments.  The  water  has  not  been 
analyzed,  but  tastes  of  salt  and  borax,  is  buoyant  as 
the  Dead  Sea,  and  the  only  animal  life  it  sustains  is  a 
species  of  jelly-fish.  The  lake  has  no  visible  outlet, 
and  although  fed  by  several  small  streams,  never  in- 
creases or  decreases  in  size.  In  the  slightest  breeze 
the  water  lashes  into  a foam  which  makes  a superior 
soap,  and  almost  anything  can  be  cleansed  in  the  lake 
much  better  than  by  the  most  powerful  chemicals. 
The  water  makes  a magnificent  sheep-wash  and  will 
invariably  relieve  sheep  of  the  dreadful  disease  known 
as  “scab,”  its  wonderful  medicinal  qualities  coming  to 
be  known  some  two  years  ago  through  an  old  para- 
lytic sheep-raiser  who  drove  his  flock  into  the  lake  and 
found  that  the  bath  cured  those  so  afflicted. 

About  sixty  miles  north  of  Galena,  Texas,  near  the 
town  of  Liberty,  there  is  a spring  the  water  of  which  is 
quite  acid,  simulating  lemonade,  and  those  who  taste 
it,  like  it  so  well  that  they  drink  it  almost  immoder- 
ately. When  you  feel  hot  it  is  quite  delicious,  and 
under  any  circumstances,  whether  hot  or  cold,  the 
drinking  of  it  produces  perspiration,  with  no  unpleas- 


66o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


ant  effect  afterwards.  The  spring  has  no  outlet.  It  is 
probably  sixty  feet  across  it,  and  it  is  covered  with  a 
white  froth  or  foam,  which  upon  close  examination 
appears  like  cream  of  tartar  on  a wine  case.  It  kills 
insects,  worms  and  other  small  animals  that  come  near 
and  use  it.  No  fish  or  smallest  evidence  of  life  is  seen 
within  its  waters. 

The  Galveston  “News”  declares  that  immense 
bodies  of  fresh  water  underlie  a large  portion  of  Texas, 
and  that  occasionally  some  of  this  vast  reservoir  finds 
vent  in  rivers  like  the  San  Marcos,  San  Antonio  and 
others,  which  burst  forth  in  full  volume,  and,  unlike 
most  rivers,  are  larger  at  their  heads  than  at  their 
mouths. 

In  Elko  county,  Nevada,  there  is  a most  remarkable 
stratum  of  steatite,  a peculiar  kind  of  clay,  resting  hori- 
zontally in  a steep  bluff  of  volcanic  matter,  from  three 
to  ten  feet  in  diameter.  It  is  easily  worked  and  is  a 
veritable  soap  mine.  In  fact,  the  farmers,  cattle-men 
and  sheep-herders  in  that  region  all  use  the  natural 
article  for  washing  purposes.  Chemically  considered 
it  is  a hydrated  silicate  of  alumina,  magnesia,  potash 
and  lime.  When  the  steatite  is  first  dug  from  the  stra- 
tum it  looks  precisely  like  immense  masses  of  mottled 
castile  soap,  the  mottling  element  being  a small  per 
centage  of  iron  oxide.  A firm  in  Elko  have  under- 
taken to  introduce  this  natural  soap  into  the  market. 

In  many  parts  of  the  world  there  are  stones  that 
travel,  strange  as  it  may  seem.  They  were  first  found 
in  Australia.  Similar  curiosities  have  recently  been 
found  in  Nevada,  which  are  described  as  almost  per- 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE. 


66 1 


fectly  round,  the  majority  of  them  as  large  as  a walnut 
and  of  an  irony  nature.  When  distributed  about  on 
the  floor,  table  or  other  level  surface,  within  two  or 
three  feet  of  each  other,  they  immediately  begin  trav- 
eling towards  a common  center,  and  there  huddle  like  a 
lot  of  eesrs  in  a nest.  A single  stone,  removed  to  a 
distance  of  three  and  a half  feet,  upon  being  released, 
at  once  started  off  with  wonderful  and  somewhat  com- 
ical celerity  to  join  its  fellows  ; taken  away  four  or 
five  feet,  it  remains  motionless.  They  are  found  in 
a region  that  is  comparatively  level,  and  is  nothing 
but  bare  rock.  Scattered  over  this  barren  region  are 
little  basins,  from  a few  feet  to  a rod  or  two  in  diameter ; 
and  it  is  in  the  bottom  of  these  that  the  rolling  stones  are 
found.  They  are  from  the  size  of  a pea  to  five  or  six 
inches  in  diameter.  The  cause  of  these  stones  rolling 
together  is  doubtless  to  be  found  in  the  material  of 
which  they  are  composed,  which  appears  to  be  lode- 
stone,  or  magnetic  iron  ore. 

The  highest  mountain  on  the  earth  is  Gaurisankar, 
or  Mount  Everest,  in  the  eastern  Himalayan  district.  It 
is  twenty-nine  thousand  and  two  feet  high.  In  this  dis- 
trict there  are  thirty-four  mountains  over  twenty  thou- 
sand feet  in  hight,  and  thirty-two  more  than  ten  thousand 
feet.  The  second  highest  peak  is  the  Dapsang,  in 
Western  Thibet,  twenty-eight  thousand  two  hundred 
and  seventy-eight  feet  high;  the  third,  Kintchinjunga, 
twenty-eight  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet ; 
the  fourth,  the  Sisbut,  peak,  in  Nepaul,  twenty-seven 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninty-nine.  Dhawala- 
giri,  in  Nepaul,  which  was  formerly  considered  the 


662 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


highest  mountain  on  the  earth,  is  now  ranked  as  fifth, 
being  but  twenty-six  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-six  feet  high. 

Mount  Cotopaxi  is  counted  the  greatest  known 
volcano,  and  is  situated  in  South  America.  Vesuvi- 
ous  is  the  best  known  and  most  famous  of  all  volca- 
noes, and  lies  just  back  of  Naples  in  Italy.  Mt.  Etna 
on  the  island  of  Sicily,  and  Hecla  of  Iceland  are  also 
quite  noted,  and  believed  by  some  to  show  signs  of 
internal  connection. 

The  Giant’s  Causeway  and  Fingal’s  Cave  on  the 
Northwest  coast  of  Scotland,  are  described  in  all  our 
school  geographies.  The  cave  is  two  hundred  and 
twelve  feet  long.  The  celebrated  maelstrom  or  whirl- 
pool on  the  coast  of  Norway  has  been  the  terror  of  the 
navigators  of  the  Northern  seas  in  all  ages.  Hell-gate 
in  New  York  harbor,  at  certain  stages  of  the  tide,  used 
to  be  almost  as  dangerous.  The  account  of  the 
blasting  away  of  the  rocks  by  which  the  whirlpool  was 
destroyed  is  very  interesting.  One  of  the  most  won- 
derful things  in  the  world  is  the  so  called  “Gulf- 
stream,”  of  the  Northern  Atlantic.  It  seems  to 
flow  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  continues  a distinct 
warm  stream  of  water  for  thousands  of  miles,  reach- 
ing almost  to  the  shores  of  Greenland,  and  finally 
exhausting  itself  on  the  western  shores  of  Europe  and 
Great  Britain. 

Ebal  and  Gerizim  are  mountains  mentioned  in  the 
Bible,  and  have  been  pointed  out  by  certain  skeptics 
as  one  of  the  instances  of  absurd  and  impossible 
Bible  descriptions.  An  English  traveler  recently 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE.  663 

visited  these  mountains,  and  thought  he  would  see  if 
the  story  told  about  them  in  the  twenty-seventh  chap- 
ter of  Deuteronomy  was  true.  You  will  remember 
that  Moses  placed  the  twelve  tribes,  six  on  one  of 
these  mountains,  and  six  on  the  other,  and  each  set 
spoke  certain  blessings  and  cursings  which  were  dis- 
tinctly understood  by  the  people  in  the  valley  between. 
This  traveler  got  a companion  to  climb  Gerizim,  while 
he  toiled  up  Ebal.  When  so  far  apart,  that  their 
horses  looked  like  mere  dots  on  the  hillside,  each 
halted,  and  one  began  to  read  aloud  from  a book,  feel- 
ing, as  he  expressed  it,  “ as  if  I might  as  well  address 
the  House  of  Commons  from  Lambeth  Palace.”  He 
paused,  and  great  was  his  surprise  to  distinctly  here 
the  words  of  the  twenty-third  Psalm,  from  the  little 
dot  on  the  opposite  hillside,  and  this  in  spite  of  con- 
versation carried  on  by  some  Turkish  soldiers  near. 
On  meeting  again,  it  was  found  that  each  had  heard 
the  other  perfectly,  though  they  spoke  in  ordinary 
tones. 

Mr.  John  Kee,  of  Talbot  county,  Ga.,  is  responsi- 
ble for  the  following:  “It  was  early  Sunday  morning. 

My  daughter  was  engaged  in  sweeping  off  the  front 
porch,  when  her  attention  was  attracted  by  the  plain- 
tive cries  of  young  chickens  and  the  distressed  cluck- 
ing of  a hen.  The  sound  came  from  a pile  of  leaves 
under  some  poplar  trees  in  the  yard,  and,  hurrying  to 
the  spot,  she  found  the  little  chicks  all  stuck  up  with 
leaves,  rolling  about  struggling  to  free  themselves,  and 
two  of  the  little  sufferers  were  stuck  together.  She 
picked  these  two  up,  and,  coming  to  the  house,  called 


664 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


me.  On  examination  we  found  them  covered  with  a 
sticky  substance,  which  seemed  to  have  come  off  the 
leaves.  I went  out  into  the  yard  and  found  it  on  all 
the  leaves,  and,  tasting,  was  surprised  to  find  it  honey. 
Looking  around  I could  see  it  glistening  in  the  sun- 
shine like  diamonds  on  every  leaflet,  and  on  the  porch 
for  two  or  three  feet  were  splotches  of  it.  Several 
neighbors  dropped  in  during  the  day  whom  I told  of 
the  honey  shower,  supposing  it  had  been  general,  but 
they  were  incredulous  until  shown  evidences  of  it.  In 
the  evening  of  the  same  day  I noticed  a mist  between 
me  and  the  sun,  and  a closer  examination  disclosed  the 
fact  that  we  were  having  a repetition  of  the  phenom- 
enon, which  was  witnessed  by  a dozen  people.  While 
it  did  not  run  off  the  house  either  morning  or  evening, 
it  covered  the  leaves  of  the  trees  and  shrubs,  and  was, 
without  doubt,  honeydew,  and  that,  too,  from  a cloud- 
less sky.” 

We  speak  of  the  silvery  brightness  of  Mercury, 
the  mild  radiance  of  venus,  the  fiery  splendor  of  Mars. 
By  the  aid  of  the  telescope  we  may  gaze  upon  Saturn, 
with  his  “sky-girt  rings”  and.  seven  moons,  and  view 
Jupiter,  with  his  belts  and  satellites.  While  many 
believe  these  planets  to  be  inhabited,  others,  equally 
wise,  argue  against  such  a possibility. 

The  whole  animal  kingdom  consists  of  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  different  kinds  of  beings  constructed  on 
only  four  different  plans,  each  one  of  which  is  expressed 
in  thousands  of  different  ways. 

Dr.  Van  Lennep,  who  has  spent  almost  a lifetime 
in  Palestine  and  the  East,  tells  of  the  remarkable 


WONDERS  OF  NATURE. 


665 


manner  in  which  the  swallows  and  other  small  birds, 
such  as  the  ortolas,  darnagas,  bee  figs,  wrens,  titmouse, 
smaller  thrushes,  and  finches,  get  over  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea  preparatory  for  wintering  in  Tropical 
Africa.  As  the  winter  approaches,  flocks  of  cranes, 
which  are  also  migratory,  fly  southward  and  on  their 
backs  bear  the  little  birds  of  weaker  wing  over  the 
sea  into  a summer  clime. 

The  weaver  birds  of  Africa  are  the  most  ingenious 
of  all  birds.  One  variety  build  their  nests  in  the  shape 
of  an  umbrella  upon  a tree,  several  hundred  birds 
being  sheltered  in  one  nest'.  Another  variety  build  on 
slender  twigs  over  a stream  of  running;  water.  Still 
another,  builds  its  nests  on  the  backs  of  the  wild  buf- 
faloes, where  it  finds  food  in  a kind  of  flea  that  infests 
the  latter,  and  serves  also  as  a sentinel  to  warn  the 
animal  of  approaching  danger. 

The  agricultural  ant  of  Texas  is  perhaps  the  most 
intelligent  and  wonderful  insect  to  be  found  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth.  The  descriptions  given  of  them  by 
naturalists  read  like  the  tales  of  the  Aztec  races  or  the 
discoveries  of  Nineveh  and  Babylon. 

We  are  so  accustomed  to  think  of  four-footed 
creatures  as  hunting  game,  that  the  idea  that  a fish 
might  be  made  use  of  in  that  way  seems  strange. 
Nevertheless,  there  is  a fish  living-  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  which  is  sent  out  by  its  master  to  hunt  turtles, 
they  being  considered  good  for  soup  making.  The 
reve  was  noticed  by  Christopher  Columbus,  who  related 
the  fact  of  seeing  this  fish  sent  out  fishing  by  the  native 
Indians.  This  fish  is  long  and  slim,  with  a curious  flat 


666 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


head,  on  the  top  of  which  is  a singular  oval  apparatus 
which  operates  like  a sucker.  With  this  sucker  the 
reve  sticks  to  another  fish,  and  so  has  him  fast  for 
dinner.  I should  consider  his  table  rather  inconve- 
nient, being  on  the  top  of  his  head,  but  he  seems  to 
get  along  with  it  very  well ; having  the  lower  jaw 
much  longer  than  the  upper,  he  somehow  draws  the 
food  into  his  mouth.  When  the  reve  is  wanted  to 
catch  turtles,  his  master  fastens  a cord  around  his  tail 
and  throws  him  into  the  water  where  he  sees  a fine 
turtle.  The  reve  immediately  fastens  himself  to  his 
turtleship,  and  the  man  at  the  end  of  the  cord  draws 
him  up  out  of  the  water,  deprives  him  of  his  dinner, 
and  throws  him  back  into  the  water  to  fish  again. 
Reve  is  the  Spanish  word  for  reversed , and  was  given 
to  this  fellow  because  he  looks  as  though  he  were  up- 
side down,  or  reversed. 

Gray  hairs  sometimes  come  prematurely  by  inher- 
itance, trouble,  or  the  large  use  of  water  containing 
lime.  The  sudden  blanching  of  a head  of  hair  is  fre- 
quently caused  by  severe  nervous  shocks,  and  numer- 
ous historical  and  traditional  cases  may  be  cited  in 
which  sudden  fear  or  overwhelming  news  has  turned 
the  hair  white  in  a few  hours.  The  case  of  Marie  An- 
toinette is  one  of  the  most  tender  and  touching,  for  in 
a single  night  her  rich  dark  hair  was  changed  to  silver 
gray.  A Sepoy  of  the  Bengal  army  was  taken  pris- 
oner in  1858,  and  the  fright  he  received  caused  his  hair 
to  become  completely  whitened  within  half  an  hour, 
the  change  being  so  rapid  as  to  cause  his  captor  to 
exclaim  in  astonishment,  “ He  is  turning  gray!  ” Un- 


WONDERS  OF  ART. 


667 


der  the  influence  of  fear  or  any  great  mental  shock, 
the  blood  recedes  from  the  surface  of  the  body  to  the 
heart,  and  it  is  supposed  the  same  influence  may  cause 
the  coloring  fluid  of  the  hair  to  retire  to  the  root- 
bulbs,  where  it  remains  thereafter.  Gray  hair  has 
been  known  to  become  dark  without  the  chemist’s  aid. 
In  1774,  Nazarelia,  a man  one  hundred  and  five  years 
old,  was  presented  by  nature  with  a new  set  of  teeth 
and  a restoration  of  the  black  hair  of  his  youth.  John 
Weeks  was  blessed  with  a regeneration  of  the  color  of 
his  hair  a short  time  before  his  death,  which  occurred 
at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen  ; and  Sir  John 
Sinclair,  dying  at  one  hundred  and  ten,  rejoiced  in  a 
youthful  head  of  hair  during  the  latter  years  of  his 
life.  Dr.  Richards  has  reported  the  case  of  a man 
who  had  three  changes  of  his  hair  from  black  to  white 
during  his  life,  the  first  taking  place  when  he  was  about 
thirty-five  years  old. 


&5ondei^s  oh 

Strange  thing  art,  especially  music.  Out  of  an 
art  a man  may  be  so  trivial  you  would  mistake  him 
for  an  imbecile,  at  best  a grown  infant.  Put  him  into 
his  art,  and  how  high  he  soars  above  you ! How 
quietly  he  enters  into  a heaven  of  which  he  has  be- 
come a denizen,  and,  unlocking  the  gates  with  his 
golden  key,  admits  you  to  follow,  an  humble,  reverent 
worshipper. 


668 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


In.  art  there  is  a point  of  perfection,  as  of  goodness 
or  maturity  in  nature;  he  who  is  able  to  perceive  it, 
and  who  loves  it,  has  perfect  taste  ; he  who  does  not 
feel  it,  or  loves  on  this  side  or  that,  has  an  imperfect 
taste.  Never  judge  a work  of  art  by  its  defects. 

He  who  seeks  popularity  in  art  closes  the  door  on 
his  own  genius,  as  he  must  needs  paint  for  other  minds 
and  not  for  his  own.  The  mother  of  useful  arts  is 
necessity ; that  of  the  fine  arts  is  luxury.  Art  is  the 
right  hand  of  Nature.  The  latter  has  only  given  us 
beinor,  the  former  has  made  us  nien.  Art  does  not 
imitate  nature,  but  it  founds  itself  on  the  study  of 
nature — takes  from  nature  the  selections  which  best 
accord  with  its  own  intention,  and  then  bestows  on 
them  that  which  nature  does  not  possess,  namely,  the 
mind  and  the  soul  of  man. 

We  understand  art  to  mean  the  work  of  man — 
simply  that  and  nothing  more.  Hence  everything 
made  by  man,  all  his  contrivances,  the  tools  by  which 
he  works,  the  productions  of  his  greatest  skill,  the 
results  of  all  his  scientific  research,  are  simply  works 
of  art.  Some  of  these  productions  are  indeed  most 
wonderful ; we  can  barely  touch  upon  the  outlines,  and 
draw  only  here  and  there  a fragment  from  the  great 
storehouse  of  knowledge,  concerning  the  wonders  of 
art,  to  which  we  thus  hope  to  introduce  you. 

The  seven  wonders  of  the  world,  in  ancient  times, 
were  the  Pyramids  of  Egypt,  the  Pharos  of  Alexandria, 
the  walls  and  hanging  gardens  of  Babylon,  the  Temple 
of  Diana,  the  statue  of  the  Olympian  Jupiter,  the 
Mausoleum  of  Artemesia,  and  the  Colossus  at  Rhodes. 


WONDERS  OF  ART. 


669 


The  seven  wonders  of  die  world  in  modern  times 
are  the  printing-press,  the  steam  engine,  the  telegraph, 
the  daguerreotype,  the  telephone,  the  phonograph  and 
the  electric  light. 

The  so-called  “ Seven  Wonders  ” of  the  Ancients 
were  mere  trifles  compared  with  those  of  the  present 
time.  The  Brooklyn  bridge,  for  example,  would  make 
the  hanging  gardens  of  Babylon  a mere  toy,  while  the 
whole  seven  wonders  put  together  would  sink  into  in- 
significance could  their  builders  have  seen  a lightning 
express  train  at  full  speed. 

London  covers  nearly  seven  hundred  square  miles. 
It  numbers  more  than  four  million  inhabitants.  It 
comprises  one  hundred  thousand  foreigners  from  every 
quarter  of  the  globe.  It  contains  more  Roman 
Catholics  than  Rome  itself;  more  Jews  than  the  whole 
of  Palestine  ; more  Irish  than  Dublin  ; more  Scotch- 
men than  Edinburgh;  more  Welshmen  than  Cardiff. 
Has  a birth  every  five  minutes,  and  a death  every  eight 
minutes ; has  seven  accidents  in  every  day  in  its  seven 
thousand  miles  of  streets ; has  an  addition  of  thirty- 
eight  miles  of  new  streets,  most  of  which  are  lined  with 
houses,  every  year;  has  one  hundred  and  twenty-three 
persons  every  day,  and  forty-five  thousand  annually, 
added  to  its  population  ; has  one  hundred  and  seven- 
teen thousand  habitual  criminals  on  its  police  register ; 
and  has  thirty-eight  thousand  drunkards  annually 
brought  before  its  magistrates. 

Among  the  old  cities  of  the  world  may  be  mentioned 
Damascus,  in  Asia,  which  was  an  old  city  wflien  Rome 
was  a wilderness,  and  still  retains  the  same  houses, 


670 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


streets  and  city  walls  that  then  existed.  In  the  new 
world,  going  to  New  Mexico  in  the  far  West,  we  find 
the  city  of  Santa  Fe,  meaning  in  Spanish  “ Holy  Faith,” 
which  dates  back  to  1542,  when  the  Spaniards  took 
possession  of  an  old  Aztec  town  standing  on  the  same 
ground.  “ It  was  old  when  New  York  was  a swamp,  and 
hoary  with  age  when  Columbus  discovered  America.” 

In  Holland  are  the  most  remarkable  levees  or  dikes 
in  the  world.  They  are  often  forty  feet  above  ordinary 
high  water  and  wide  enough  at  the  top  for  a common 
roadway.  The  whole  expenditure  for  maintaining 
these  levees  is  annually  from  two  million  to  two  million 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  whole  state  of 
Holland,  with  but  a small  exception,  has  been  re- 
deemed from  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  the  history  of 
this  great  work,  going  on  for  centuries  past,  is  one  of 
most  remarkable  interest. 

There  is  a great  wall  in  China  a thousand  miles 
long.  Just  think  of  it;  one-eighth  of  the  distance 
through  this  great  world  of  ours,  this  wall  stretches ! 
The  wall  is  wide  enough  for  two  carriages  to  pass  each 
other  in  driving  along  its  top.  The  foundation  of  the 
wall  is  of  solid  granite,  the  remainder  of  well-laid 
masonry.  The  wall  is  carried  from  point  to  point  in 
a perfectly  straight  line  across  valleys  and  plains,  and 
over  hills.  Brooks  and  small  rivers  are  bridged  over 
by  the  wall,  while  larger  rivers  have  towers  on  both 
banks.  This  immense  wall  was  built  to  protect  China 
from  her  enemies.  The  wall  has  several  thousand 
towers,  used  as  watch-towers  by  the  Chinese  in  times 
of  danger.  To-day  this  wall  is  utterly  useless. 


WONDERS  OF  ART. 


671 


The  Alhambra,  of  Spain,  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable structures  ever  reared  by  the  hand  of  man. 
For  nearly  eight  hundred  years  the  Moors  held  pos- 
session of  the  fairest  parts  of  Spain,  and  in  the  city  of 
Granada,  their  ancient  capital,  this  wonderful  palace 
was  built.  The  outer  walls,  or  fortification,  were  thirty 
feet  in  height  and  six  feet  in  thickness.  The  area 
enclosed  in  these  walls  is  very  extensive.  It  is  said,  in 
its  palmy  days,  to  have  afforded  accommodation  to 
forty  thousand  soldiers  alone.  The  palace  proper  was 
built  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  and  all 
the  beauty  and  ingenuity  of  Arabic  art  were  lavished 
upon  its  construction.  It  is  said  that  the  walls  still 
remain  unaltered  by  the  ravages  of  time,  except  in  un- 
important parts ; and  the  color  of  the  paintings  in 
which  there  is  no  mixture  of  oil,  on  removing  the  par- 
ticles of  dust,  appear  to  have  preserved  their  bright- 
ness. The  beams  and  woodwork  of  the  ceiling 
present  no  signs  of  decay.  The  art  of  rendering 
timber  and  paints  durable,  and  of  making  porcelain 
mosaics,  arabesques,  and  other  ornaments,  began  and 
ended  in  western  Europe  with  the  Moorish  conquerors 
of  Spain. 

The  remains  of  the  palace  of  the  Alhambra  consist 
of  entrance-arches,  corridors,  and  courts,  constructed 
chiefly  of  marble,  and  richly  adorned  with  arabesques. 
The  Arabs  were  forbidden  by  their  religion  to  use  the 
representation  of  living  figures  or  animals  in  their 
ornamental  devices,  which  therefore  took  the  shape  of 
flowers  and  geometrical  forms,  sometimes  very  fanci- 
ful in  their  nature.  The  term  arabesque  was  applied 


672  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH 

to  this  class  of  ornament,  after  the  race  by  which  it 
was  chiefly  used.  These  arabesque  ornaments  were 
cast  in  moulds,  and  joined  with  such  extreme  nicety 
that  frequently  no  trace  of  the  point  of  junction  can 
be  detected.  They  were  colored  in  blue,  red  and 
gold,  and  the  general  effect  in  such  edifices  as  the 
Alhambra  is  so  gorgeous  that  it  cannot  be  realized  by 
description. 

The  many  courts  and  corridors  of  the  Alhambra 
were  very  elaborately  decorated,  the  saloon  known  as 
the  Hall  of  Abencerages,  with  its  beautiful  stalactite 
roof,  being  composed  of  five  thousand  separate  pieces 
fitting  into  each  other  with  the  greatest  exactitude. 
The  hall  takes  its  name  from  a Moorish  family,  the 
last  members  of  which  were  treacherously  murdered 
in  this  chamber.  A mark,  said  to  have  been  left  by 
their  blood,  is  pointed  out  upon  the  marble  floor;  but 
skeptical  people  in  later  times  have  declared  that  it  is 
nothing  but  the  deposit  of  water  impregnated  with 
iron. 

There  are  many  ways  of  doing  things  now  which 
would  be  marvellous  to  the  ancients  or  even  to  our 
forefathers.  We  have  become  so  accustomed  of  see- 
ing these  things  we  make  no  note  of  them,  but  accept 
them  as  matters  of  course.  We  see  the  ponderous 
locomotive  rolling  along  on  the  roads  without  any  appar- 
ent traction  and  scarcely  heed  it,  except  to  give  it  a 
wide  berth,  for  it  is  remorseless  in  its  pathway.  And 
yet  when  we  consider  it  is  a natural  power  which  is 
utilized,  merely  the  expansion  of  water  under  the 
influence  of  heat,  we  are  lost  in  admiration  at  the 


WONDERS  OF  ART. 


673 


ingenuity  of  man  in  devising  ways  by  which  this  prop- 
erty of  water,  familiar  since  the  world  began,  should 
be  made  to  do  his  work.  As  wonderful  as  the  steam 
engine  is,  it  is  yet  surpassed  by  the  telegraph. 

Not  alone  the  instrument,  which  is  merely  a 
mechanical  contrivance  to  give  sounds  by  which  words 
are  denoted,  but  still  more  wonderful  are  the  properties 
of  electricity  under  constraint.  Everybody  since  the 
days  of  Noah  is  familiar  with  lightning,  the  untamed 
but  not  untamable  artillery  of  heaven. 

It  is  a faithful  servant,  not  in  the  least  captious,  but 
demands  its  laws  and  will  follow  them.  It  travels  in 
circuits.  The  circle  must  be  unbroken,  or  it  gets 
angry  and  explodes  with  a detonation  in  proportion  to 
the  size  of  the  spark  or  the  distance  it  has  to  traverse  to 
regain  its  route.  This  quality  secured  it  as  a servant 
of  man,  a faithful,  humble,  obliging  servant,  as  swift  in 
the  performance  of  duties  as  Ariel  was  to  the  bidding 
of  Prospero,  but  far  more  untiring. 

For  instance,  the  assassination  of  Gen.  Garfield  took 
place  in  Washington  at  half  past  nine  a.m.  Saturday. 
At  nine  o’clock  it  was  known  to  everybody  in  Nash- 
ville, as  the  time  of  this  place  is  forty  minutes  in 
advance  of  Washington  time,  and  this  gave  ten  minutes 
to  get  off  the  dispatch  and  circulate  it  here.  Nor  is 
this  the  most  wonderful  part  of  the  story.  It  was 
known  in  San  Francisco  at  six  o’clock,  or  three  and  a 
half  hours  before  it  took  place.  This  is  still  not  all, 
for  by  twelve  o’clock  it  was  published  in  every  capital 
city  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  Think  of  this  one 

moment,  and  see  if  it  can  be  conceived. 

43 


674 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Electricity  annihilates  both  time  and  space.  It 
travels  around  the  earth  by  the  time  you  can  wink. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  it  would  have 
taken  six  months,  or  possibly  longer  to  be  dissemin- 
ated to  the  same  extent  it  had  reached  in  an  hour  on 
that  day.  The  people  of  Paris,  London,  St.  Peters- 
burg, Constantinople,  Athens,  Cairo,  Jerusalem,  Cal- 
cutta, Botany  Bay,  Pekin,  Yeddo  in  Japan,  all  collecting- 
in  knots  and  talking  about  it,  before  his  wife,  only  a 
few  miles  off,  could  reach  his  bedside.  Isn’t  this  mar- 
vellous ? 

Prometheus  scaled  the  divine  heights  of  Olympus 
and  stole  the  fire  from  Jove  with  which  to  give  life 
to  the  first  man.  Verily  Prometheus  still  lives  and  is 
rapidly  stealing  the  secrets  of  nature  and  disseminat- 
ing them  among  mankind.  Let  us  hope  he  will  fare 
better  than  his  prototype  of  old  for  his  daring  ingenuity. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  objects  offered  to  pub- 
lic inspection  at  the  Sidney  International  Exhibition 
was  a dwelling-house  exclusively  made  of  paper,  and 
furnished  throughout  with  articles  manufactured  from 
the  same  material.  Walls,  roof,  floorings  and  stair- 
cases alike,  consisted  of  cartonpierre.  The  carpets 
and  curtains,  bedsteads,  lamps,  sheets  and  counter- 
panes, towels,  bootjacks,  baths,  kitchen  utensils,  etc., 
were  one  and  all  preparations  of  papier-mache,  as 
were  the  very  stoves  used  for  heating  the  rooms,  in 
which  large  fires  were  kept  burning  throughout  the 
duration  of  the  exhibition.  Several  banquets  were 
given  in  the  paper  house  by  its  owners  to  the  commis- 
sioners, members  of  the  press,  and  foreigners  of  dis- 


WONDERS  OF  ART. 


67  5 


tinction.  All  the  plates  and  dishes,  knives  and  forks, 
bottles  and  drinking  vessels  used  at  these  entertain- 
ments, were  fabricated  entirely  and  solely  of  paper. 
Should  these  paper  buildings  come  into  vogue,  they 
may  be  expected  to  superinduce  some  striking  changes 
in  the  rates  of  fire  insurance,  at  present  calculated 
upon  a basis  of  bricks  and  mortar. 

A novel  use  for  glass  has  been  found,  and  so  far  it 
answers  well — viz.,  as  ties  for  railway  lines.  Soon  after 
Dela  Besle  introduced  his  method  of  toughening  glass, 
Mr.  F.  Seimens,  of  Dresden,  commenced  a series  of 
researches  which  have  culminated  at  present  in  the 
production  of  a very  hard  glass,  which,  unlike  the  ma- 
terial produced  by  the  Dela  Besle  method,  does  not  fly 
into  a million  fragments  when  broken.  The  ties  which 
have  been  tested  on  the  North  Metropolitan  line,  at 
Stafford,  England,  are  three  feet  long  and  four  inches 
wide  by  six  inches  deep,  the  upper  side  being  made  to 
fit  the  rails.  The  glass  sleepers  are  not  so  strong  as 
those  cut  from  the  sound  pine,  but  they  are  practically 
indestructible,  and  what  is  more,  are  cheap. 

The  Japanese  make  a very  curious  and  handsome 
kind  of  copper  by  casting  it  under  water,  the  metal 
being  highly  heated,  and  the  water  also  being  hot. 
The  result  is  a beautiful  rose-colored  tint,  which  is 
not  affected  by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere. 

The  oldest  printed  book  in  the  world  is  the  Mazarin 
Bible.  It  is  so  called  because  a copy  of  it  was  found 
in  'the  library  of  that  celebrated  French  statesman, 
Mazarin,  in  Paris,  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century. 
It  was  beautifullv  printed  in  Latin;  and  when  offered 


6y6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


for  sale  not  a human  being,  except  the  artists  them- 
selves, could  tell  how  the  work  had  been  done.  The 
printing  had  been  finished  as  early  as  1455,  and  the 
binding  and  illuminating  were  completed  at  Mentz  in 
1456. 

It  was  in  two  volumes,  and  there  were  about  twenty 
copies,  eighteen  of  which  are  to  be  found,  ten  being  in 
private  libraries  in  England.  Some  of  these  Bibles 
are  printed  upon  vellum,  a very  fine  kind  of  parch- 
ment, some  on  paper  of  choice  quality,  with  black  and 
tolerably  handsome  letters. 

Of  this  book  Hallam,  the  historian,  thus  writes  : 

“ In  imagination  we  may  see  this  venerable  and 
splendid  volume  leading  up  the  crowded  myriads  of 
of  its  followers,  aud  imploring,  as  it  were,  a blessing 
on  the  new  art  by  dedicating  its  first  fruits  to  the 
service  of  heaven.” 

A copy  of  this  Bible  was  sold  a few  years  ago  for 
twenty-five  hundred  dollars. 

In  a recent  biography  of  Sir  Edwin  Landseer,  an 
instance  is  related  of  his  amazing  mastery  of  hand. 
At  a party  in  London  some  one  remarked  that  there 
was  one  thing  nobody  had  ever  done,  and  that  was  to 
draw  two  things  at  once.  “ Oh,  I can  do  that,”  said 
Landseer,  “lend  me  two  pencils.”  The  pencils  and 
paper  were  brought,  and  Sir  Edwin  drew,  simultane- 
ously and  without  hesitation,  with  one  hand  the  profile 
of  a stag’s  head,  with  all  its  antlers  complete,  and  with 
the  other  hand  the  perfect  profile  of  a horse’s  head. 
Both  drawings  are  said  to  have  been  executed  with 
remarkable  beauty  and  force. 


WORDS. 


677 


&5oi^ds. 

Gentle  words  are  marks  of  the  true  gentleman. 

Use  gentle  words,  for  who  can  tell 
The  blessings  they  impart  ? 

How  oft  they  fall  (as  manna  fell) 

On  some  nigh-fainting  heart. 

In  lonely  wilds,  by  light-winged  birds, 

Rare  seeds  have  oft  been  sown ; 

And  hope  has  sprung  from  gentle  words, 

Where  only  griefs  had  grown. 

Never  is  the  deep,  strong  voice  of  man,  or  the  low, 
sweet  voice  of  woman,  firmer  than  in  the  earnest  but 
mellow  tones  of  speech,  richer  than  the  richest  music, 
which  are  a delight  while  they  are  heard,  which  linger 
still  upon  the  ear  in  softened  echoes,  and  which,  when 
they  have  ceased,  come  long  after  back  to  memory  like 
the  murmurs  of  a distant  hymn.  Oh,  it  is  very  pleas- 
ant to  listen  to  such  voices,  accordant  with  lofty  con- 
ceptions and  sweet  humanities, — the  soul  breathings 
that  now  swell  with  daring  imaginations,  and  then  sink 
into  the  gentleness  of  sadness  or  of  pity.  I have 
heard  such  voices,  voices  that  were  music  from  the 
soul  and  to  it — the  very  melody  of  thought,  and  of 
thought  that  was  the  very  soul  of  goodness.  Beautiful 
conceptions  sang  along  the  syllables,  beautiful  feelings 
came  trickling  from  the  heart  in  liquid  tones.  Very 
pleasant  are  such  voices — pleasant  on  the  fragrant  air 
of  a summer’s  evening,  pleasant  by  the  fire  on  a win- 
ter’s night,  pleasant  in  the  palace,  pleasant  in  the 
shanty,  pleasant  while  they  last,  pleasant  to  remember 


678 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


even  with  sorrow,  when  they  are  silent,  when  their 
melody  shall  never,  never  again  attune  and  sweeten 
the  common  air  of  earth. 

Talking  is  the  best  of  all  recreations,  and  a master 
of  the  art  possesses  the  most  useful  and  enjoyable  of 
accomplishments.  Conversation  is  designed  to  be 
the  one  long-lasting,  never-failing  amusement  of  man- 
kind. It  is  the  pleasure  that  sets  in  earliest,  outlives 
all  vicissitudes,  and  continues  ours  when  we  can  enjoy 
nothing  else. 

Conversation  warms  the  mind,  enlivens  the  imagi- 
nation, and  is  continually  starting  fresh  game  that  is 
immediately  pursued  and  taken,  and  which  would  never 
have  occurred  in  the  duller  intercourse  of  epistolary 
correspondence. 

The  cheerful  converse  of  a friend  will  often  tend, 
more  than  anything  else,  to  soothe,  exhilarate  and  ex- 
pand the  heart,  and  impart  an  elasticity  to  the  spirit 
and  a vigor  to  the  vital  current  beyond  all  the  skill  of 
the  physician. 

There  are  words  which  sever  hearts  more  than 
sharp  swords;  there  are  words,  the  point  of  which  sting 
the  heart  through  the  course  of  a whole  life. 

Words  are  often  everywhere  as  the  minute-hands 
of  the  soul,  more  important  than  even  the  hour-hands 
of  action.  Words,  like  glass,  darken  whatever  they 
do  not  help  us  to  see. 

Douglas  Jerrold  says  : “The  last  word  is  the  most 
dangerous  of  infernal  machines,  and  husband  and  wife 
should  no  more  fight  to  get  it  than  they  would  strug- 
gle for  the  possession  of  a lighted  bomb-shell.” 


WORDS. 


679 


If  we  have  nothing  to  speak  to  edification,  how  much 
better  to  hold  our  tongue!  Clothe  not  thy  language 
either  with  obscurity  or  affectation;  in  the  one  thou 
discoverest  too  much  darkness,  in  the  other  too  much 
lightness.  He  that  speaks  from  the  understanding  to 
the  understanding  is  the  best  interpreter.  A word 
once  uttered  cannot  be  recalled.  Many  a friendship 
has  been  broken  and  a hope  blasted  by  a thoughtless 
word.  While  the  gift  of  conversation  proves  a clever 
man,  the  want  of  it  is  no  proof  of  a dull  one.  It  is  a 
pure  heart  that  makes  the  tongue  impressive.  Gentle 
words  cost  very  little  and  yet  they  accomplish  great 
results.  They  are  more  powerful  than  armed  hosts 
engaged  in  mortal  conflict  on  the  open  field  of  battle. 

Ah ! a single  word,  how  its  echo  rings  through  the 
earth.  The  proverb  has  well  said,  “ Words  fitly  spoken 
are  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver,” — a word 
of  counsel  to  the  erring,  a word  of  kindness  to  the 
stranger,  a word  of  sympathy  to  the  sorrowing,  a word 
of  love  to  all.  But  a word  of  folly,  how  its  memory 
haunts  us!  A word  has  carried  death  to  the  soul, 
crushed  young  hope  struggling  into  existence,  smoth- 
ered affection  in  its  infancy,  severed  from  us  friend  and 
lover.  How  often  we  hear  ringing  in  our  ears  the  sad 
refrain,  “It  might  have  been  !”  How  often,  alas  ! we 
are  forced  to  exclaim,  “Pshaw!  pshaw!  what  a fool  I 
was,  what  a fool!” 

How  sweet,  how  delicious  and  agreeable  to  our 
ears  are  kind  words.  Their  very  sound  is  heavenly 
manna  upon  which  souls  may  feed.  Delightful  and 
melodious  they  steal  in  our  hearts  in  such  a fascinating 


68o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


way  that  we  are  powerless  to  force  them  back  from 
whence  they  come.  They  never  cause  us  to  feel 
unhappy,  but  they  ever  come  as  a sweet  messenger  to 
cheer  and  encourage  us  in  the  hour  of  trials  and  dis- 
appointment when  the  dark  clouds  of  adversity,  with 
portentous  lowerings,  have  swept  away  every  vestige 
of  hope  and  expectation. 

O the  power  on  the  hardest  heart  of  a kind  word! 
And  it  costs  so  little.  True,  there  may  be  a few  speci- 
mens of  humanity  of  such  a nature  that  you  can  never 
get  from  them  more  than  a grunt  or  a growl — men 
who  complain  of  everything  and  are  always  as  blue  as 
indigo,  as  bitter  as  gall.  But  most  men  and  women 
have  souls  and  hearts,  too,  which  will  respond  to  your 
touch. 

But  for  hard  words,  unkind,  cruel  words,  words 
that  wound  and  rankle,  and  stay  to  irritate  and  annoy, 
untruthful  words,  swollen  out  of  proportion,  great  harsh 
adjectives  that  sound  loudly  but  are  not  just,  wise  or 
good  — these  are  idle  words  that  go  before  us  to 
judgment. 

An  idle  word  may  be  seemingly  harmless  in  its 
utterance  ; but  let  it  be  fanned  by  passion,  let  it  be  fed 
with  the  fuel  of  misconception,  of  evil  intention,  of  pre- 
judice, and  it  will  soon  grow  into  a sweeping  fire  that 
will  melt  the  chains  of  human  friendship,  that  will  burn 
to  ashes  many  cherished  hopes  and  blacken  more  fair 
names  than  one. 

Better  than  gold  oftentimes  is  a word  fitly  spoken. 
Up  and  down  this  world  go  many  fainting  discour- 
aged ones.  It  may  be  your  father,  pressed  down  by 


WORDS. 


68 1 

a weight  of  responsibility.  It  may  be  the  little  mother, 
coping  with  daily  difficulties  large  for  such  frail  hands. 
It  may  be  the  elder  brother,  struggling  unaided  to 
launch  his  lifeboat;  or,  mayhap,  some  one  you  only 
meet  occasionally.  But  the  world  is  full  of  those  to 
whom  the  right  kind  of  a word — one  wisely  chosen 
and  propelled  by  kind  motives — would  be  of  greater 
use  than  gold.  To  many  of  us,  gold  is  beyond  reach: 
but  where  is  there  one  who  cannot  speak  a helpful 
word  ? 

Samuel  Johnson  once  wrote  to  a friend,  “Your 
former  conversation  has  made  me  think  repeatedly 
what  a number  of  beautiful  words  there  are  of  which 
we  never  think  of  estimating  the  value,  as  there  are  of 
blessings.  How  carelessly,  for  example,  do  we  (not 
we,  but  people)  say : “lam  delighted  to  hear  from  you.” 
No  other  language  has  this  beautiful  expression,  which, 
like  some  of  the  most  lovely  flowers,  loses  its  charms 
for  want  of  close  inspection.  When  I consider  the 
deep  sense  of  these  very  simple  and  very  common 
words,  I seem  to  hear  a voice  coming  from  afar  through 
the  air,  breathed  forth  and  intrusted  to  the  care  of  the 
elements  for  the  nurture  of  my  sympathy.” 

“Talk  is  cheap,”  is  the  old  truism.  There  is  more 
of  preaching  than  practice.  It  is  easier  to  make  pro- 
fession of  righteousness  than  to  work  it.  It  is  a very 
common  thing-  to  hear  men  talk  of  the  things  that  are 
true,  honest,  just,  pure,  lovely,  and  of  good  report,  but 
not  so  common  to  see  these  virtues  illustrated  in  daily 
walk  and  conversation. 

Words  cost  but  little,  and  they  too  often  mean  but 


682 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


little  and  amount  to  little.  But  this  is  not  the  worst 
of  it.  If  words  do  little  good,  they  may  do  much 
harm.  The  blasting,  blighting,  cursing  influence  of 
words  hastily  or  unadvisedly  spoken,  has  been  too 
often  illustrated  to  need  more  than  a passing  notice ; 
but  the  thought  cannot  be  too  deeply  impressed  that 
our  words  may  be  falling  like  healing  leaves  or  rays 
of  light  upon  those  about  us,  carrying  peace  and 
blessing  with  them,  or  they  may  be  as  poisoned  arrows, 
whose  festering  wounds  shall  work  misery  and  death 
long  after  the  lips  that  sent  them  forth  shall  have 
ceased  their  utterances. 

Among  the  many  evils  which  prevail  under  the  sun, 
the  abuse  of  words  is  not  the  least  considerable.  By 
the  influence  of  time,  and  the  perversion  of  fashion, 
the  plainest  and  most  unequivocal  may  be  so  altered 
as  to  have  a meaning  assigned  them  almost  diametri- 
cally opposite  to  their  original  signification. 

Ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  Northerners  will 
say  “institoot”  instead  of  institute,  “dooty”  for  duty 
— a perfect  rhyme  to  the  word  beauty.  They  wiH  call 
new  and  news,  “ noo  ” and  “ noos,”  and  so  on  through 
the  dozens  and  hundreds  of  similar  words.  Not  a 
dictionary  in  the  English  language  authorizes  this.  In 
student  and  stupid  the  “u  ” has  the  same  sound  as  in 
cupid,  and  should  not  be  pronounced  “stoodent”or 
“stoopid,”  as  so  many  teachers  are  in  the  habit  of 
sounding  them.  If  it  is  a vulgarism  to  call  a door  a 
“doah,”  as  we  all  admit,  isn’t  it  as  much  of  a vulgarism 
to  call  a newspaper  a “noospaper?”  One  vulgarism 
is  Northern  and  the  other  Southern,  that  is  the  only 


WORDS. 


683 


difference.  When  the  London  “ Punch  ” wishes  to 
burlesque  the  pronunciation  of  servants,  it  makes 
them  call  the  duke  the  “ dooke,”  the  tutor  the  “tooter,” 
and  a tube  a “toob.”  You  never  find  the  best 
Northern  speakers,  such  as  Wendell  Phillips,  George 
William  Curtis,  Emerson,  Holmes,  and  men  of  that 
class,  saying  “ noo  ” for  new,  “Toosday”  for  Tuesday, 
“avenoo”  for  avenue,  or  calling  a dupe  a “doop.” 
Nature  never  indulges  in  exclamations — never 
says  ah!  or  alas!  She  is  a plain  writer,  uses  few  ges- 
tures, does  not  add  to  her  verbs,  uses  few  adverbs, 
uses  no  expletives. 

■ There  is  a vast  difference  in  the  use  of  words,  or 
their  mode  of  combination,  between  the  Western 
nations  and  the  Eastern,  or  Oriental.  The  romances, 
poetry  and  novels  of  Europeans  and  Americans  must 
keep  within  the  limits  of  some  kind  of  probability, 
although  they  are  pictures  of  what  might  have  been 
true,  rather  than  truth  itself.  But  Arabian  stories,  as 
in  the  “Arabian  Nights,”  keep  not  within  any  such 
bounds.  A tale  which  does  not  astonish,  surprise  and 
confound,  and  which  does  not  set  at  defiance  all  sober 
calculation  and  rational  theory,  is  with  that  imaginative 
people  dull,  lifeless,  and  unworthy  of  notice.  All  the 
East  partakes  of  this  inflated  taste. 


684 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Oi^atoi^y. 

Where  thoughts  kindle,  words  spontaneously  flow. 

The  true  ideal  of  oratory,  like  that  of  painting  and  sculpture,  is  only  attain- 
able through  culture. — Prof.  Reed. 

The  qualities  that  make  a great  orator  are  thus 
stated  by  Wendell  Phillips:  “A  man  may  be  a stam- 

merer and  yet  a great  orator,  a man  may  have  a poor 
voice  and  yet  be  a great  orator,  a man  may  speak  in- 
correctly and  ungrammatically  and  still  be  a very 
great  orator;  all  that  is  needed  is  to  have  an  earnest 
cause  thoroughly  at  heart,  and  have  heart  and  cause 
so  truly  wedded  that  they  are  one  with  his  innermost 
nature,  so  that  when  he  speaks  he  pours  out  his  own 
self,  exalted  by  that  with  which  he  is  filled.” 

When  the  Roman  people  had  listened  to  the  dif- 
fuse and  polished  discourses  of  Cicero,  they  departed, 
saying  one  to  another,  “ What  a splendid  speech  our 
orator  has  made!”  But  when  the  Athenians  heard 
Demosthenes,  he  so  filled  them  with  the  subject-matter 
of  his  oration,  that  they  quite  forgot  the  orator,  and 
left  him  at  the  finish  of  his  harangue,  breathing 
revenge,  and  exclaiming,  “ Let  us  go  and  fight  against 
Philip!” 

The  more  an  idea  is  developed,  the  more  concise 
becomes  its  expression : the  more  a tree  is  pruned, 
the  better  is  the  fruit.  Oratory,  like  the  drama, 
abhors  lengthiness  ; like  the  drama,  it  must  be  kept 
doing.  It  avoids,  as  frigid,  prolonged  metaphysical 
soliloquy.  Beauties  themselves,  it  they  delay  or  dis- 


ORATORY. 


685 


tract  the  effect  which  should  be  produced  on  the 
audience,  become  blemishes.  Luther  tells  us  “ the 
fewer  words  the  better  prayer,”  and  Charles  Buxton 
says,  “ concentration  alone  conquers.” 

Theodore  Parker  said  in  substance  that  eloquence 
is  to  a man  what  beauty  is  to  a woman.  It  is  the  music 
of  speech,  the  charm  of  utterance,  the  graceful  and 
fervent  expression  of  thought,  the  vocalization  of  ideas 
and  emotions.  The  eloquence  of  John  Bright  was 
developed  on  the  temperance  platform.  The  mar- 
vellous command  of  humor  and  pathos  shown  by  John 
B.  Gough  was  first  displayed  in  his  advocacy  of  total 
abstinence.  Wendell  Phillips,  the  heroic  and  erratic 
champion  of  reform,  flowered  into  fame  in  the  “ old 
Cradle  of  Liberty”  when  be  rebuked  the  aristocracy 
of  Boston  for  shutting  its  eyes  to  the  shameful  murder 
of  Lovejoy. 

There  never  is  true  eloquence  except  when  great 
principles  and  sentiments  have  entered  into  the  sub- 
stance of  the  soul.  Rear  stronger  minds  and  they 
will  lift  up  the  race  to  sublimer  heights  of  dignity  and 
power.  The  lives  of  men  should  be  filled  with  beauty 
even  as  the  earth  and  heavens  are  clothed  with  it. 

The  eloquence  of  the  pulpit  should  be  pre-emin- 
ently the  eloquence  of  elevated  thought,  uttered 
through  that  various  structure  of  discourse  and  style 
of  expression  in  which  a versatile  mind  will  convey 
such  thought.  It  should  be  the  eloquence  of  real  life, 
and  of  great  occasion.  It  should  be  the  eloquence  of 
manly  purpose  in  great  exigencies.  In  its  best  forms 
it  will  resemble,  and  yet  surpass,  the  best  eloquence 


686  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

of  senates,  in  the  emergencies  of  nations.  The  true 
preacher  can  be  known  by  this,  that  he  deals  out  to 
his  people  his  life — life  passed  through  the  fire  of 
thought. 

On  the  other  hand  it  has  been  asserted — and  our 
experience  proves  its  truth — that  the  wisest  and  most 
cultured  men  have  many  thoughts  for  which  they  can 
find  no  adequate  expression.  The  best  songs  have 
not  been  sung,  except  in  meek  and  lowly  hearts,  by 
inaudible  voices,  and  to  the  minstrelsy  of  unseen  harps. 
The  noblest  thoughts  that  stir  man’s  heart  cannot  find 
utterance. 

Dwight  L.  Moody,  when  he  applied  for  admission 
into  the  Mount  Vernon  Congregational  church  of 
Boston,  was  on  account  of  his  unsatisfactory  state- 
ments of  experience,  refused.  Waiting  almost  a year, 
he  presented  himself  again;  this  time  he  was  received. 
Soon  after,  attending  a church  prayer-meeting,  he 
arose  and  spoke  briefly.  At  the  close  of  the  service 
the  pastor  took  him  aside,  and  kindly  told  him  that  he 
had  better  not  attempt  to  speak  in  meetings,  but  that 
he  might  serve  God  more  acceptably  in  some  other 
way.  But  this  young  man,  whom  this  people  were  so 
loath  to  hear,  was  yet  to  be  listened  to,  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic,  by  such  crowds  as  have  seldom  been 
attracted  by  any  man  since  the  days  of  Wesley  and 
Whitefield. 

A great  orator  was  once  applied  to  for  the  rules  of 
oratory.  He  said  the  first  rule  was  “ action;”  the  sec- 
ond rule  was  “action;”  the  third  rule  was  “action;” 
thus  intimating  that  hard  work  and  complete  mastery 


ORATORY. 


687 


of  the  subject  he  desired  to  speak  about,  was  the  ulti- 
matum. It  is  said  that  Demosthenes  both  stammered 
and  lisped,  and  when  he  first  attempted  to  address  an 
audience,  they  drowned  his  voice  with  their  jeers.  He 
retired  to  the  sea-shore,  and  there  practiced  speaking 
in  the  roar  of  the  surf,  and  with  pebbles  in  his  mouth. 
Disraeli  was  hooted  at  when  he  first  attempted  to 
speak  in  Parliament,  but  was  afterwards  acknowledged 
as  a great  orator,  and  the  leader  of  the  English  nation. 

Henry  Clay  once  said : “ I owe  my  success  in  life 
to  a single  fact,  namely,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  I 
commenced  and  continued  for  years  the  practice  of 
daily  reading  and  speaking  upon  the  contents  of  some 
historical  or  scientific  book.  These  offhand  efforts 
were  made  sometimes  in  a cornfield,  at  others  in  the 
forest,  and  not  unfrequently  in  some  distant  barn,  with 
the  horse  and  ox  for  my  auditors.  It  is  to  this  early 
practice  in  the  great  art  of  all  arts  that  I am  indebted 
for  the  primary  and  leading  impulses  that  stimulated 
me  forward  and  shaped  and  moulded  my  entire  subse- 
quent destiny.” 

Henry  Clay  thus  advises  young  men  who  are  am- 
bitious to  become  orators:  “Let  not  a day  pass  with- 
out exercising  your  powers  of  speech.  There  is  no 
power  like  that  of  oratory.  Caesar  controlled  men  by 
exciting  their  fears ; Cicero,  by  captivating  their  affec- 
tions and  swaying  their  passions.  The  influence  of 
the  one  perished  with  its  author  ; that  of  the  other 
continues  to  this  day.” 

Here  is  a striking  description  of  a great  statesman 
and  orator:  “ He  had  all  the  requisites  of  an  orator,  a 


688 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


commanding  figure,  striking  countenance,  most  pene- 
trating eye,  thorough  self-possession,  a voice  flexible 
and  sonorous,  and  a tongue  voluble  to  a degree  almost 
unprecedented ; he  had  the  faculty  of  pouring  out  at 
will  copious  citations  from  Scripture.” 

The  following  is  a description  of  Mr.  Gladstone 
while  making  one  of  his  great  speeches  before  Parlia- 
ment. H e is  doubtless  the  greatest  living  orator: 
“ One  recognized  at  once,  by  his  mere  expression  and 
motion,  that  he  was  already  warm  and  proud  with  the 
ardor  of  forensic  conflict ; that  he  loved  this  arena  on 
which  he  stood,  and  that  his  whole  soul  was  in  the  task 
before  him.  In  his  first  few  simple  sentences  one 
already  felt  the  sweet  and  persuasive  power  of  a voice 
which,  even  in  his  age,  has  perhaps  no  equal  in  any 
assembly  on  earth.  There  was  the  soul  and  life  of 
intense  earnestness  in  its  very  first  tones,  as  the  com- 
monplace opening  of  the  speech  was  uttered;  now 
subdued,  to  be  sure,  but  soon  to  burn  out  and  glow 
with  all  the  fire  of  the  man’s  warm,  intellectual  nature. 

“ The  next  thing  observed  was  the  contrast  between 
this  smooth,  steady  flow  of  words,  this  rising  fluency 
of  language,  pouring  out  long  and  involved  sentences 
without  a pause,  a hitch,  an  instant’s  loss  of  the  right 
word,  and  the  halting  and  hesitating  oratory  of  most 
English  public  men.  After  listening  to  the  stammering 
of  Lord  John  Russell,  the  hemming  and  hawing  of  the 
genial  Palmerston,  and  the  studied  abruptness  of  Dis- 
raeli, this  rapid,  steady,  limpid  quality  of  Mr.  Glad- 
stone’s eloquence  was  charming.  To  his  wonderful 
fluency,  the  flexibility  and  strength  as  well  as  sweet- 


ORATORY. 


689 


ness  of  his  voice  added  striking  effect ; for  it  has 
depth,  volume,  and  wide  range  of  tone,  and  quickly 
adapts  itself  to  the  rhetorical  need  of  the  moment. 

“ His  giant  intellect,  strength  of  character,  and  purity 
of  life  make  him  a favorite  among  the  noble-minded  in 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Though  his  noble  brow, 
over  which  hoary  locks  are  falling,  is  wrinkled  with 
age,  he  is  full  of  life,  eloquence,  and  prompt  activity. 
His  Christian  faith  and  personal  efforts  for  the  eternal 
happiness  of  men  crown  this  gifted  statesman  with 
peculiar  honor. 

“ The  opening  deceived  you  somehow  into  the  idea 
that  the  flow  of  the  harangue  would  be  sweet  and 
serene  throughout.  But  before  Mr.  Gladstone  had 
been  speaking  fifteen  minutes  he  seemed,  as  Sydney 
Smith  said  of  Webster,  ‘a  steam  engine  in  trowsers.’ 
No  orator  was  ever  more  susceptible  to  the  warming- 
up  process,  caused  by  the  very  act  of  speaking,  than 
he.  No  orator  ever  became  more  wrapt,  more  ab- 
sorbed in  the  task  before  him.  You  felt  profoundly 
that  he  was  speaking  from  the  most  firmly-rooted  con- 
victions ; that  the  cause  he  advocated  was  buried  deep 
in  his  heart,  and  was  the  outcome  alike  of  conscience 
and  intellectual  self-persuasion.  The  dominant  idea 
with  him  was,  not  to  make  a great  display,  not  to  pro- 
duce a refined  and  polished-off  bit  of  eloquence,  but 
to  persuade  and  to  convince.  He  produced  that  pow- 
erful effect  upon  his  hearers  which  is  one  of  the  highest 
triumphs  of  oratory,  that  made  you  feel  ashamed  and 
perverse  not  to  agree  with  him  and  be  persuaded.” 

Robert  Hall  was  considered  the  greatest  orator  in 


44 


690 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  English  pulpit,  and,  like  Spurgeon,  was  a Baptist. 
The  following  description  of  one  of  his  sermons  is 
very  vivid:  “He  looked  more  like  a dead  man  than 

a living  one.  With  slow  and  mechanical  utterance  he 
began.  Without  motion  or  gesture,  save  a feeble, 
occasional  movement  of  the  right  hand,  he  went  on. 
He  first  described,  as  only  he  could,  the  glories  of  the 
natural  heavens,  and  exalted  God  as  the  “Father”  of 
all  these  lights.  He  then  called  a graphic  roll  of  the 
world’s  intellectual  masters.  God  was  also  the  Father 
of  mental  greatness.  And  he  dwelt  on  moral  and 
spiritual  greatness,  and  traced  it  all  to  God. 

“ As  he  proceeded,  a wonderful  change  came  over 
his  face.  The  flabbiness  passed  away  from  his  cheeks, 
and  the  heaviness  out  of  his  eyes.  His  face  shone 
like  an  angel’s,  his  eye  blazed  with  unnatural  brilliance, 
and  his  voice,  losing  the  huskiness  with  which  he 
began,  rang  like  a trumpet.  A great  change  also 
came  over  the  audience.  As  he  went  on  from  picture 
to  picture,  and  poured  out  on  that  audience,  accus- 
tomed indeed  to  eloquence,  but  now  astonished,  his 
wonderful  wealth  of  word  and  thought,  the  people 
leaned  forward  in  their  seats  hardly  daring  to  breathe, 
and  finally  fully  one-third  of  them,  unconscious  of  what 
they  were  doing,  rose  up  and  leaned  towards  the  pulpit 
as  far  as  they  could  reach.  Many  left  their  pews,  and 
with  unconscious  steps  silently,  stealthily  crept  down 
the  aisles,  until  they  found  themselves  standing  en- 
tranced directly  in  front  of  the  speaker,  so  irresistible 
was  the  magnet  that  drew  them. 

“ When  the  sermon  was  over,  the  giant  disease 


ORATORY. 


691 


again  claimed  its  victim,  the  eyes  sunk  and  the  face 
fell.  He  was  again  the  feeble,  dying  man.  But  durin 
that  glorious  hour,  when  ‘great  thoughts  struck  alon 
the  brain,’  the  mind  was  supreme.  It  spurned  weak- 
ness and  death,  and  claimed  its  birthright.” 

Gen.  Mitchell,  the  great  astronomer,  who  died  at 
the  South  during  the  late  war,  closed  one  of  his  lec- 
tures as  follows : 

“ Light  traverses  space  at  the  rate  of  a million 
miles  a minute,  yet  the  light  from  the  nearest  star  re- 
quires ten  years  to  reach  the  earth,  and  Herschel’s 
great  telescope  revealed  stars  two  thousand  three 
hundred  times  further  distant.  The  great  telescope 
of  Lord  Rosse  pursued  these  creations  of  God  still 
deeper  into  space,  and  having  resolved  the  nebulae  of 
the  Milky  Way  into  stars,  discovered  other  systems  of 
stars — beautiful  diamond  points  glittering  in  the  black 
darkness  beyond.  When  he  beheld  this  amazing 
abyss — when  he  saw  these  systems  scattered  profusely 
throughout  space — when  he  reflected  upon  their  im- 
mense distance,  their  enormous  magnitude,  • and  the 
countless  millions  of  worlds  that  belonged  to  them,  it 
seemed  to  him  as  though  the  wild  dream  of  the  Ger- 
man poet  was  more  than  realized. 

“God  called  man  in  his  dream  into  the  vestibule  of 
heaven,  saying:  ‘Come  hither,  and  I will  show  thee 

the  glory  of  my  house.’  And  to  His  angels  who  stood 
about  His  throne  be  said,  ‘Take  him,  strip  him  of  his 
robes  of  flesh;  cleanse  him  of  his  affections;  put  a new 
breath  into  his  nostrils,  but*  touch  not  the  human 
heart,’ — the  heart  that  fears,  that  hopes,  and  trembles. 


Oq  aq 


6g2  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

A moment,  and  it  was  done;  and  the  man  stood  ready 
for  his  unknown  voyage.  Under  the  guidance  of  a 
mighty  angel,  with  sounds  of  the  flying  pinions,  they 
sped  away  from  the  battlements  of  Heaven.  Some 
time,  on  the  mighty  angel’s  wings,  they  fled  through 
Saharas  of  darkness — wildernesses  of  death.  At  length, 
from  a distance  not  counted  save  in  the  arithmetic  of 
Heaven,  a light  beamed  upon  them — a sleepy  flame, 
as  seen  through  a hazy  cloud.  In  a moment,  the 
blazing  suns  around  them — a moment,  and  the  wheel- 
ing of  planets;  then  came  long  eternities  of  twilight; 
then,  again,  on  the  right  hand  and  the  left  appeared 
more  constellations. 

“At  last  the  man  sank  down,  crying:  ‘Angel,  I can 
go  no  further;  let  me  lie  down  in  the  grave,  and  hide 
myself  from  the  infinitude  of  the  universe,  for  end 
there  is  none!’  ‘ End  there  is  none!’  demanded  the 
angel.  And  from  the  glittering  stars  that  shone 
around  there  came  a choral  shout,  ‘End  there  is  none! 
End  there  is  none  ! ’ ” 


— 4**®fc* 

©HE  gOWEI^  OP  fflUSIG. 

“ Such  sweet  compulsion  doth  in  music  lie.” — Milton. 

Music  hath  its  charms  the  savage  breast  to  soothe, 
and  there  breathes  not  a human  being  so  dead  to  the 
pure  and  holy  instincts  implanted  by  God  himself  that 
he  does  not  grow  kinder  and  more  gentle  under  its 
soothing  strains. 


THE  POWER'  OF  MUSIC.  693 

The  harsh  cares  of  life  often  blunt  our  better 
natures  and  make  us  cold  and  selfish.  But  the  sweet 
song-  of  a little  child,  trilling  forth  the  praise  of 
“Blessed  Jesus,”  will  thrill  the  soul  and  turn  the  whole 
channel  of  our  thoughts  and  emotions  in  a new  and 
heavenly  direction.  Even  the  wandering  beggar  with 
his  hand-organ  upon  the  streets,  when  it  breaks  forth 
with  a “Sweet  Bye  and  Bye  ” beneath  our  office  win- 
dows, will  turn  our  thoughts  back  upon  the  pleasant 
evenings  we  spent  with  a loved  one,  when  we  sang  that 
song,  and  little  dreamed  of  the  bitter  bye  and  bye, 
when  we  should  be  left  to  walk  this  gloomy  earth 
alone,  while  she  passed  on  to  that  better  land  in  ful- 
fillment of  the  beautiful  prophecy  of  the  song. 

The  power  of  music  is  attested  in  the  universal 
attention  commanded  by  a beautiful  singer.  Genin, 
the  hatter,  paid  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  to 
hear  Jenny  Lind  sing,  and  many  a man  has  parted 
with  his  hard-earned  dollars  in  the  gambling  hell  and 
•dance  hall  under  the  witchery  of  “ Home,  Sweet 
Home.”  The  delirium  of  joy  experienced  when,  after 
months  of  lonely  work  upon  the  mountain  side,  the 
poor  miner  hears  the  loved  cradle  songs  in  the  gilded 
palace  of  sin,  can  only  be  realized  by  those  who  have 
witnessed  such  scenes. 

Who  can  tell  the  priceless  value  of  beautiful  hymns 
sung  by  the  little  child  in  the  nursery,  by  the  sailor  on 
the  mighty  ocean,  by  the  lone  negro  woman  in  her 
cabin  on  the  Florida  shore,  and  by  the  bedside  of  the 
sick  and  dying.  They  are  almost  a religion  in  them- 
selves, they  are  full  of  words  of  love,  of  holy  faith  and 


694 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


holy  teaching,  and  they  cannot  but  elevate  and  purify 
the  heart  and  life,  and  from  my  inmost  soul  I bless 
God  for  the  gift  of  beautiful  hymns. 

Learn  to  use  your  voices,  boys  ; it  will  often  help 
you  over  a stiff  bit  of  work  to  sing,  and  true  gladness 
is  infectious,  for  a “ merry  heart  doeth  good  like  medi- 
cine.” An  officer  lay  on  the  field  of  Shiloh,  fatally 
wounded  by  a gunshot.  A multitude  of  others,  help- 
less like  himself,  were  stretched  on  the  ground  around 
him,  but  none  so  near  that  he  could  easily  converse. 
He  felt  himself  alone — but  with  God — and  this  made 
him  almost  forget  his  pain  and  thirst,  and  the  sadness 
of  his  dying  thoughts  of  home  and  friends  never  to 
be  seen  by  him  again.  Another  home  rose  before 
him  in  the  twilight  of  eternity — the  place  prepared  by 
the  Sufferer  of  Calvary  for  “His  loved  and  His  own”; 
and  as  he  lay  there  under  the  stars,  the  vision  of  it 
brightened  as  he  drew  nearer  to  it,  and  he  began  to 
sing: 

When  I can  read  my  title  clear 
To  mansions  in  the  skies, 

I’ll  bid  farewell  to  every  fear 
And  wipe  my  weeping  eyes. 

Instantly  another  wounded  man  under  the  bushes 
not  far  away  took  up  the  strain,  and  beyond  him  an- 
other and  another,  and  the  suffering  and  dying  all 
around  began  to  sing,  till  the  dark  battle-field  rang 
that  night  with  the  melody  of  faith  and  hope. 

We  all  can  set  our  daily  deeds  to  the  music  of  a 
grateful  heart,  and  seek  to  round  our  lives  into  a hymn 
— the  melody  of  which  will  be  recognized  by  all  who 
come  in  contact  with  us,  and  the  power  of  which  shall 


THE  POWER  OF  MUSIC.  695 

not  be  evanescent,  like  the  voice  of  the  singer,  but 
perennial,  like  the  music  of  the  spheres. 

Music  is  the  harmonious  voice  of  creation  ; an  echo 
of  the  invisible  world  ; one  note  of  the  divine  concord 
which  the  entire  universe  is  destined  one  day  to  sound. 
The  deeper  tones  that  lie  in  the  silences  of  nature  will 
be  all  inaudible,  unless  the  ear  be  overhearing  at  the 
same  time  the  deep  music  of  the  heart. 

On  board  the  ill-fated  steamer  Seciwanhaka  was 
one  of  the  Fisk  University  singers.  Before  leaving  the 
burning  steamer  and  committing  himself  to  the  merci- 
less waves  he  carefully  fastened  upon  himself  and  wife 
life-preservers.  Some  one  cruelly  dragged  away  that 
of  the  wife,  leaving  her  without  hope,  except  as  she 
could  cling  to  her  husband.  This  she  did,  placing  her 
hands  firmly  on  his  shoulders  and  resting  there  until 
her  strength  becoming  exhausted,  she  said,  “I  can  hold 
on  no  longer!”  “Try  a little  longer,”  was  the 
response  of  the  wearied  and  agonized  husband,  “let 
us  sing  ‘Rock  of  Ages.’”  And  as  the  sweet  strains 
floated  over  those  troubled  waters  reaching  the  ears  of 
the  sinking  and  dying,  little  did  they  know,  those 
sweet  singers  of  Israel,  whom  they  comforted. 

But  lo ! as  they  sang,  one  after  another  of  those 
exhausted  ones  were  seen  raising  their  heads  above 
the  overwhelming  waves,  joining  with  a last  effort  in 
this  sweet,  dying,  pleading  prayer: 

Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me. 

Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee. 

With  the  song  seemed  to  come  strength ; another  and 
yet  another  was  encouraged  to  renewed  effort.  Soon 


6o  6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


in  the  distance  a boat  was  seen  approaching ! Singing 
still,  they  tried,  and  soon  with  superhuman  strength 
laid  hold  of  the  life -boat,  upon  which  they  were  borne 
in  safety  to  land.  This  is  no  fiction  ; it  was  related  by 
the  singer  himself,  who  said  he  “believed  Toplady’s 
sweet  ‘ Rock  of  Ages  ’ saved  many  another  besides 
himself  and  wife.” 

Many  of  the  wild  animals  are  said  to  be  fond  of 
and  even  charmed  by  music ; the  hunters  of  the  Tyrol 
and  some  parts  of  Germany  often  entice  stags  by 
singing,  and  the  female  deer  by  playing  the  flute. 
Beavers  and  rats  have  been  taught  to  dance  the  rope, 
keeping  time  to  music. 

Among  reptiles,  the  lizard  shows,  perhaps,  the 
most  remarkable  susceptibility  to  musical  influences  ; 
lying  first  on  his  back,  and  then  on  his  side,  and  anon 
on  his  belly,  as  if  desiring  to  expose  every  part  of  his 
body  to  the  effect  of  the  sonorous  fluid  which  is  so 
delightful  to  him.  He  appears  to  be  very  refined  in 
his  taste ; soft  voices  and  plaintive  airs  being  his 
favorites,  while  hoarse  singing  and  noisy  music  disgust 
him. 

Among  the  insects,  spiders  are  found  to  be  very 
fond  of  music;  as  soon  as  the  sounds  reach  them,  they 
descend  along  their  web  to  the  point  nearest  to  that 
from  which  the  music  originates,  and  there  remain 
motionless  as  long  as  it  continues.  Prisoners  some- 
times tame  them  by  singing  or  whistling,  and  make 
companions  of  them. 

But  perhaps  the  most  remarkable  influence  of 
music  on  animals  occurred  at  a menagerie  in  Paris,  a 


THE  POWER  OF  MUSIC. 


697 


few  years  ago,  when  a concert  was  given,  and  two 
elephants  were  among  the  auditors.  The  orchestra 
being  placed  out  of  their  sight,  they  could  not  perceive 
whence  the  harmony  came.  The  first  sensation  was 
that  of  surprise;  at  one  moment  they  gazed  eagerly  at 
the  spectators ; the  next  they  ran  at  their  keeper  to 
caress  him,  and  seemed  to  enquire  what  these  strange 
sounds  meant;  but,  at  length,  perceiving  that  nothing 
was  amiss,  they  gave  themselves  up  to  the  impressions 
which  the  music  communicated.  Each  new  tune 
seemed  to  produce  a change  of  feeling,  causing  their 
gestures  and  cries  to  assume  an  expression  in  accord- 
ance with  it.  But  it  was  still  more  remarkable  that 
after  a piece  had  produced  an  agreeable  effect  upon 
them,  if  it  was  incorrectly  played  they  would  remain 
cold  and  unmoved. 

Properly  used,  sacred  song  may  be  made  a most 
powerful  educator.  There  ought  to  be  soul  in  song, 
as  well  as  sound.  There  ought  to  be  thought  in  song, 
as  well  as  vibration.  Sounds  may  be  agreeable  even 
to  an  idiot ; but  only  words  with  thought  in  them  give 
pleasure  to  the  intellect.  The  patriotic  sentiment  ex- 
cited by  “ The  Marseillaise,”  or  “The  Star-Spangled 
Banner,”  arises  not  so  much  from  the  music,  as  from 
the  words.  Even  when  we  hear  the  tune  only,  our 
excitement  can  be  traced  to  the  spinal  thought  which 
we  associate  with  the  music. 

Song  is  a power  in  patriotism,  temperance,  missions, 
politics,  parlor  companionship  and  street  development. 
It  is  a power  in  religion — not  the  power  of  sweet 
melody,  but  the  power  of  evangelical  truth.  It  is  the 


698 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


function  of  music  to  charm  the  senses,  and  thus  secure 
a ready  welcome  to  a truth  which,  coming  alone,  would 
be  debarred  an  entrance.  There  is  a degradation  of 
music  which  reduces  it  to  a Sunday  pastime,  or  uses  it 
as  a piece  of  stuffing  to  fill  a gap  in  a prayer  meeting. 
Every  hymn  is  supposed  to  contain  at  least  a morsel 
of  heavenly  bread.  The  problem  should  be,  how  to 
get  that  morsel  into  the  spiritual  stomach.  The  sing- 
ing fails  of  its  true  end  if  it  is  nothing  but  singing, 
with  no  instruction  and  no  arousing.  Perhaps  there  is 
too  much  singing  in  our  Sunday  schools,  merely  for 
the  sake  of  singing.  Perhaps  it  may  be  said  of  a 
great  deal  of  our  singing,  that  it  does  no  harm,  while 
it  relieves  the  tedium  of  a dry  service.  But  why  may 
not  every  hymn  be  sung  for  the  sake  of  the  truth  in  it, 
and  the  passing  pleasure  be  made  entirely  subordinate 
to  the  permanent  instruction  ? 


Gggenti^igities  op  Genius. 

How  common  it  is  to  speak  of  a strong  man’s  ec- 
centricities, or  of  his  peculiar  faults,  as  if  thfey  were  the 
source  of  his  power.  Even  the  boorishness  and  in- 
civility and  ill  nature  of  a man,  or  his  overweening 
vanity,  or  his  violent  and  ungoverned  temper,  and  his 
selfish  disregard  of  the  feelings  and  the  rights  of 
others,  are  sometimes  spoken  of  as  elements  of  strength 
in  him.  Yet  it  is  invariably  true  that  such  a man  has 
made  all  his  progress  and  gained  all  his  power  in  spite 


ECCENTRICITIES  OF  GENIUS. 


699 


of  these  faults,  and  not  in  consequence  of  them.  If  he 
were  without  these  drawbacks,  or  if  he  held  them 
in  control,  he  would  be  more  of  a man,  and  do  a better 
work,  than  now. 

A recent  writer  on  Bismarck  has  thus  emphasized 
this  truth:  “In  judging  a hero  there  are  two  facts  to 

be  borne  in  mind.  First,  it  is  not  his  objectionable, 
but  his  good  qualities  that  have  enabled  him  to  play  a 
great  part.  Otherwise  it  were  necessary  to  despair  of 
humanity.  Secondly,  where  the  faults  are  conspicuous 
the  redeeming  virtues  must  be  of  no  ordinary  kind. 
Some  French  writers  have  lately  been  trying  to  destroy 
the  fame  of  Napoleon.  Theattemptis  sufficiently  puerile, 
but  the  Lanfreys  and  others  do  prove  the  conqueror 
of  Europe  to  have  been  a person  of  many  vices.  Only, 
they  fail  to  understand  that  by  this  process  they  raise 
the  man  to  a rather  loftier  eminence  than  he  previously 
occupied.  For  what  must  have  been  the  genius  which 
so  triumphed  over  flaws  of  mind  and  heart  that  its 
possessor  not  only  ruled  a continent,  but  won  the  love 
aud  homage  of  millions  ? ” 

If  you  are  conscious  of  any  peculiar  faults  which 
are  recognized  and  tolerated  by  your  friends,  do  not 
nurse  them,  or  even  give  them  tolerance  yourself,  in 
the  mistaken  notion  that  they  are  elements  of  your 
strength  and  attractiveness.  You  are  doing  all  that 
you  do  of  good,  and  holding  all  the  friends  you  still 
retain,  in  spite  of  those  faults ; and  you  would  do  a 
great  deal  better  and  have  more  to  love  you  if  you 
conquered  them.  And  if  you  see  the  evident  faults 
of  one  who  is  widely  recognized  as  a strong  man  or 


yoo 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


as  a good  one,  and  who  attaches  many  to  him,  be  sure 
that  he  has  positive  good  qualities  overbalancing  those 
poor  ones. 

Mr.  Spurgeon  recently  delivered  an  address  upon 
“Eccentric  Preachers,”  at  the  annual  tea  and  public 
meeting  of  the  friends  and  patrons  of  the  Tabernacle 
College.  He  first  defined  what  it  was  to  be  eccentric. 
Eccentricity,  as  generally  regarded,  is  simply  a differ- 
ing from  some  one  else,  especially  some  one  who 
sets  himself  up,  or  is  set  up  by  others  as  a standard  of 
propriety.  “One  charge  of  eccentricity,”  Mr.  Spur- 
geon said,  “brought  against  Whitefield  and  Wesley 
was  that  they  actually  wore  their  own  hair  instead  of 
wearing  wigs.  Could  anything  be  more  monstrous  ? 
A holy  person  from  Holland  wrote  to  him,  and  said  he 
had  read  his  sermons  with  pleasure,  but  could  do  so 
no  longer,  as  he  now  found  that  he  was  a carnal  and 
worldly  man,  who  wore  a moustache.” 

Some  men  are  eccentric  because  they  are  essen- 
tially truthful  and  in  dead  earnest  in  what  they  say. 
Earnest  men  cannot  always  be  proper.  And  again 
preachers  had  been  considered  eccentric  because  they 
have  a vast  amount  of  dramatic  energy  in  them. 
Such  men  meant  to  save  men’s  souls,  and  resolved  to 
do  anything  and  everything  to  accomplish  it.  He 
gave  instances  in  illustration,  and  from  his  point  of 
view,  we  come  to  the  conclusion  that  eccentricity  in  a 
preacher  is  not  so  bad  a thing  after  all,  but  generally 
a most  valuable  quality. 

When  we  see  so  many  accomplished  wits  of  the 
present  age,  as  remarkable  for  the  decorum  of  their 


ECCENTRICITIES  OF  GENIUS. 


701 


lives  as  for  the  brilliancy  of  their  writings,  we  may 
believe  that  next  to  principle  it  is  owing  to  their  good 
sense  which  regulates  and  chastises  their  imaginations. 
The  vast  conceptions  which  enable  a true  genius  to 
ascend  the  sublimest  heights  may  be  so  connected 
with  the  stronger  passions  as  to  give  it  a natural  ten- 
dency to  fly  off  from  the  straight  line  of  regularity,  till 
good  sense,  acting  on  the  fancy,  makes  it  gravitate 
powerfully  towards  that  virtue  which  is  its  proper 
center. 

Add  to  this,  when  it  is  considered  with  what  imper- 
fection the  Divine  Wisdom  has  thought  fit  to  stamp 
everything  human,  it  will  be  found  that  excellence  and 
infirmity  are  so  inseparably  wound  up  in  each  other 
that  a man  derives  the  soreness  of  temper  and  irrita- 
bility of  nerve  which  make  him  uneasy  to  others  and 
unhappy  to  himself  from  those  exquisite  feelings,  and 
that  elevated  pitch  of  thought  by  which,  as  the  Apostle 
expresses  it  on  a more  serious  occasion,  he  is,  as  it 
were,  out  of  the  body. 

It  is  not  astonishing,  therefore,  when  the  spirit  is 
carried  away  by  the  magnificence  of  its  own  ideas, 

“Not  touch’d,  but  rapt;  not  waken’d,  but  inspir’d,” 

that  the  frail  body,  which  is  the  natural  victim  of  pain, 
disease  and  death,  should  not  always  be  able  to  follow 
the  mind  in  its  noblest  aspirations,  but  should  be  as 
imperfect  as  if  it  belonged  only  to  an  ordinary  soul. 

Great  geniuses  appear  to  cherish  the  fond  delusion 
that  their  powers  must  remain  at  the  meridian  and  be 
susceptible  to  no  decline  or  decay.  Few,  indeed,  have 


702 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


been  those  who  possessed  that  self-abnegating  wis- 
dom which  perceives  when  the  mental  powers  have 
attained  the  exact  zenith  in  the  broad  concavity  of 
thorough  development.  Irving  was  one  of  these,  and 
his  last  work  was  his  greatest ; but  the  great  majority 
of  the  famous,  blinded  by  vanity  or  thoughtlessness, 
refuse  to  relinquish  the  pen  until  even  the  memory  of 
their  former  greatness  can  procure  from  them  nothing 
more  than  the  contemptuous  toleration  of  pity.  The 
most  sorrowful  of  sights  is  a Titan  shorn  of  his 
strength,  and  while  hurling  pebbles,  calling  them  the 
tremendous  rocks  with  which  he  once  did  battle  with 
the  gods. 

The  author  of  “Home,  Sweet  Home,”  J.  H.  Payne, 
a poor  but  genial-hearted  man,  was  walking  with  a 
friend  in  London,  and,  pointing  to  one  of  the  most 
aristocratic  houses  in  Mayfield,  he  said:  “Under  those 
windows  I composed  the  song  of  ‘Home,  Sweet 
Home,’  as  I wandered  about  without  food,  or  a sem- 
blance of  shelter  I could  call  my  own.  Many  a night 
since  I wrote  these  words,  that  issued  out  of  my  heart 
by  absolute  want  of  a home,' have  I passed  and  re- 
passed in  this  locality,  and  heard  a stern  voice  coming 
from  within  those  gilded  walls,  in  the  depth  of  a dim, 
cold  London  winter,  warbling  ‘Home,  Sweet  Home,’ 
while  I,  the  author  of  them,  knew  no  bed  to  call  my 
own. 

“I  have  been  in  the  heart  of  Paris,  Berlin,  London, 
or  some  other  city,  and  have  heard  people  singing 
‘ Home,  Sweet  Home,’  without  a penny  to  buy  the 
next  meal,  or  a place  to  put  my  head  in.  The  world 


TRUE  CHIVALRY. 


703 


has  literally  sung  my  song  until  every  heart  is  familiar 
with  its  melody.  My  country  has  turned  me  ruthlessly 
from  office,  and  in  my  old  age  I have  to  submit  to  hu- 
miliation for  bread.”  It  is  hinted  by  those  who  ought 
to  know,  that  “ the  genial-hearted  man’s  ” improvi- 
dence caused  his  family  no  slight  trouble  and  expense. 


©I^UE  ©HIYALP^Y. 


He  is  a gentleman  who  does  gentle  deeds. 

The  truly  brave  are  soft  of  heart  and  eyes. — Byron. 

To  a gentleman  every  woman  is  a lady  in  right  of  her  sex. — Bulwer-Lytton. 

Those  who  have  shone  in  all  ages  as  the  lights  of 
the  world;  the  most  celebrated  names  that  are  recorded 
in  the  annals  of  fame;  legislators,  the  founders  of 
states,  and  the  fathers  of  their  country,  on  whom  suc- 
ceeding ages  have  looked  back  with  filial  reverence ; 
patriots,  the  guardians  of  the  laws,  who  have  stemmed 
the  torrent  of  corruption  in  every  age;  heroes,  the 
saviours  of  their  country,  who  have  returned  victorious 
from  the  field  of  battle,  or,  more  than  victorious,  who 
have  died  for  their  country ; philosophers,  who  have 
opened  the  book  of  nature  and  explained  the  wonders 
of  almighty  power  ; bards,  who  have  sung  the  praises 
of  virtue  and  of  virtuous  men,  whose  strains  carry 
them  down  to  immortality, — with  a few  exceptions, 
have  been  uniformly  on  the  side  of  goodness,  and 
have  been  as  such  distinguished  in  the  temple  of  fame. 


704 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


It  was  one  of  the  maxims  which  governed  their  lives, 
that  there  is  nothing  in  nature  which  can  compensate 
wickedness ; that  although  the  rewards  and  punish- 
ments which  influence  illiberal  and  ungenerous  minds 
were  set  aside;  that  although  the  thunders  of  the 
Almighty  were  hushed,  and  the  gates  of  paradise  were 
open  no  more,  they  would  follow  religion  and  virtue 
for  their  own  sake,  and  co-operate  with  eternal  Provi- 
dence in  perpetual  endeavors  to  favor  the  good,  to 
depress  the  bad,  and  to  promote  the  happiness  of  the 
whole  creation. 

To  redress  wrongs,  to  protect  the  weak,  to  honor 
woman,  to  be  faithful  to  his  leader,  and  never  to  turn 
his  back  upon  foe  — these  were  the  chosen  duties  of 
the  knight,  and  his  great  aim  was  to  make  himself 
brave,  faithful,  true  and  stainless.  I never  could  be- 
lieve that  Providence  had  sent  a few  men  into  the 
world,  ready  booted  and  spurred  to  ride,  and  millions 
ready  saddled  and  bridled  to  be  ridden.  When  a 
people  shall  learn  that  its  greatest  benefactors  and 
most  important  members  are  men  devoted  to  the  liberal 
instruction  of  all  its  classes,  to  the  work  of  raising  to 
life  its  buried  intellect,  it  will  have  opened  to  itself  the 
path  of  true  glory. 

Men  of  guinea  stamp  are  much  more  the  coinage 
of  heaven  than  of  earth.  And  happy  indeed  for  man- 
kind if  the  truth  were  universally  recognized  that  the 
mind,  the  heart,  the  soul,  and  not  high  birth  and  great 
fortune,  are  the  true  standards  of  man.  The  thing  that 
ennobles  is  virtue  and  virtuous  endeavors,  either  for 
ourselves  or  others,  and  the  thing  that  degrades  is  not 


TRUE  CHIVALRY.  705 

lowly  condition  or  the  humble  and  unambitious  toil,  but 
indolence  and  vice. 

People  glorify  all  sorts  of  bravery  except  the 
bravery  they  might  show  on  behalf  of  their  nearest 
neighbors.  If  you  intend  to  do  a mean  thing,  wait  till 
to-morrow.  If  you  are  to  do  a noble  thing,  do  it  now. 
A bare  coffin  without  a flower,  and  a funeral  without  a 
eulogy,  are  preferable  to  a life  without  love  and  sym- 
pathy. 

A Chinese  honey-merchant,  by  the  name  of  Shai- 
King-qua,  had  long  known  an  English  trader  named 
Anderson,  and  had  large  transactions  with  him.  Mr. 
Anderson  failed  in  business  through  heavy  losses,  and 
at  the  time  owed  his  Chinese  friend  eighty  thousand 
dollars.  Wishing  to  come  to  England  to  retrieve  his 
affairs,  he  called  on  the  merchant  and  explained  his 
hopes  and  situation.  The  Chinaman  listened  with 
anxious  attention,  and  then  said,  “ My  friend  Anderson, 
you  have  been  very  unfortunate;  you  lose  all ; I very 
sorry  you  go  to  England ; but  that  you  no  forget 
Chinaman  friend,  take  this,  and  remember  Shai-King- 
qua.”  So  saying,  he  held  out  a valuable  gold  watch 
and  gave  it  to  his  friend. 

Mr.  Anderson  did  not  live  to  retrieve  his  affairs  or 
return  to  China.  When  the  account  of  his  death  and 
the  distress  in  which  he  left  his  family  reached  Canton, 
the  honey  merchant  called  on  one  of  the  gentlemen  of 
the  factory  who  was  about  to  return  to  Europe,  and 
thus  addressed  him : “Poor  Mr.  Anderson  dead ! I 
very  sorry.  He  good  man — he  friend — and  he  leave 
two  children — they  poor,  they  have  nothing — they 


;o6  well-springs  of  truth. 

child  of  my  friend ; you  take  this  for  them,  tell  them 
Chinaman  friend  send  it.”  And  he  put  a sum  of 
money  into  his  hand  amounting  to  several  hundred 
pounds. 

Compassion  is  an  emotion  of  which  we  ought 
never  to  be  ashamed.  Graceful,  particularly  in  youth, 
is  the  tear  of  sympathy,  and  the  heart  that  melts  at  the 
tale  of  woe. 

Samuel  Smiles  says : “ It  is  a grand  old  name,  that 
of  gentleman,  and  has  been  recognized  as  a rank  and 
power  in  all  stages  of  society.  To  possess  this  char- 
acter is  a dignity  of  itself,  commanding  the  instinctive 
homage  of  every  generous  mind,  and  those  who  will 
not  bow  to  titular  rank  will  yet  do  homage  to  the  gen- 
tleman. His  qualities  depend  not  upon  fashion  or 
manners,  but  upon  moral  worth ; not  on  personal 
possessions,  but  on  personal  qualities.  The  Psalmist 
briefly  describes  him  as  one  ‘ that  walketh  uprightly, 
and  worketh  righteousness,  and  speaketh  the  truth  in 
his  heart.’  ” 

Ruskin  tells  us,  “ A gentleman’s  first  characteristic 
is  that  fineness  of  structure  in  the  body  which  renders 
it  capable  of  the  most  delicate  sensation;  and  of  struc- 
ture in  the  mind  which  renders  it  capable  of  the  most 
delicate  sympathies  ; one  may  say,  simply,  ‘ fineness  of 
nature.’  This  is  of  course  compatible  with  heroic 
bodily  strength  and  mental  firmness ; in  fact,  heroic 
strength  is  not  conceivable  without  such  delicacy.” 

It  is  related  of  the  great  Lord  Lawrence,  that  dur- 
ing the  conduct  of  some  important  case  for  a young 
Indian  Rajah,  the  prince  endeavored  to  place  in  his 


TRUE  CHIVALRY. 


70  7 


hands,  under  the  table,  a bag  of  rupees.  “Young 
man,”  said  Lawrence,  “you  have  offered  to  an  English- 
man the  greatest  insult  which  he  could  possibly  receive. 
This  time,  in  consideration  of  your  youth,  I excuse  it. 
Let  me  warn  you,  by  this  experience,  never  again  to 
commit  so  gross  an  offense  against  an  English  gentle- 
man.” 

Brave  and  honest  men  do  not  work  for  gold.  They 
work  for  love,  for  honor,  for  character.  When  Socrates 
suffered  death  rather  than  abandon  his  views  of  right 
morality,  when  Las  Casas  endeavored  to  mitigate  the 
tortures  of  the  poor  Indians,  they  had  no  thought  of 
money  or  country.  They  worked  for  the  elevation  of  all 
that  thought,  and  for  the  relief  of  all  that  suffered. 

Said  a recent  lecturer  upon  Masonry:  “Every 

emblem  teaches  us  as  brothers,  to  lay  down  all  feel- 
ings of  ill-will  or  distrust  towards  a brother,  when  we 
enter  the  door  of  the  lodge,  and  then  forget  to  take 
them  up  again  as  we  go  out.”  Surely  every  instinct 
of  chivalry  teaches  us  all  to  do  this  in  the  world  as 
well  as  in  the  lodge  room. 

It  is  related  by  travelers  in  Spain,  that  a custom 
prevails  there  which  is  the  very  cream  of  chivalrous 
action.  When  a stranger  stops  at  a restaurant  for  his 
dinner,  he  will  be  likely  to  find  that  his  bill  has  been 
paid,  when  he  calls  for  it,  by  some  native  gentleman, 
who,  perceiving  the  stranger,  takes  this  mode  of  ex- 
pressing his  good  will  and  hospitable  desires. 

Charles  Lamb  says : “ In  comparing  modern  with 
ancient  manners,  we  are  pleased  to  compliment  our- 
selves upon  the  point  of  gallantry, — a certain  obse- 


708 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


quiousness  or  deferential  respect  which  we  are  sup- 
posed to  pay  to  females  as  females. 

“ I shall  be  disposed  to  admit  this  when,  in  polite 
circles,  I shall  see  the  same  attentions  paid  to  age  as 
to  youth,  to  homely  features  as  to  handsome,  to  coarse 
complexions  as  to  clear  ; to  the  woman  as  she  is  a 
woman,  not  as  she  is  a beauty,  a fortune  or  a title.  I 
shall  believe  it  to  be  something  more  than  a name 
when  a well-dressed  gentleman  in  a well-dressed  com- 
pany can  advert  to  the  topic  of  female  old  age  without 
exciting  and  intending  to  excite  a sneer;  when  the 
phrases,  ‘ antiquated  virginity,’  and  such  a one  has 
‘ overstood  her  market,’  pronounced  in  good  com- 
pany, shall  raise  immediate  offense  in  man  or  woman 
that  shall  hear  them  spoken.” 

In  no  country,  whether  of  ancient  or  modern  times, 
have  women  had  less  to  complain  of  in  their  treatment 
by  man,  than  in  America.  This  is  no  rhetorical  de- 
clamation ; it  is  the  simple  statement  of  an  undenia- 
ble fact.  It  is  a matter  of  social  history.  Since  the 
days  of  early  colonial  life  to  the  present  hour  such  has 
been  the  general  course  of  things  in  this  country.  The 
hardest  tasks  have  been  taken  by  man,  and  a gener- 
ous tenderness  has  been  shown  to  women  in  many  of 
the  details  of  social  life,  pervading  all  classes  of  society, 
to  a degree  beyond  what  is  customary  even  in  the 
most  civilized  countries  of  Europe. 

The  best  husbands  I ever  met  came  out  of  a family 
where  the  mother,  a most  heroic  and  self-denying 
woman,  laid  down  the  absolute  law,  “Girls  first.”  Not 
in  any  authority,  but  first  to  be  thought  of  as  to  pro- 


PATRIOTISM. 


709 


tection  and  tenderness.  Consequently  the  chivalrous 
care  which  these  lads  were  taught  to  show  to  their  own 
sisters  naturally  extended  itself  to  all  women.  They 
grew  up  true  gentlemen — generous,  unexacting,  cour- 
teous of  speech  and  kind  of  heart.  In  them  was  the 
protecting  strength  of  manhood,  which  scorns  to  use 
its  strength  except  for  protection  ; the  proud  honesty 
of  manhood  which  infinitely  prefers  being  lovingly  and 
openly  resisted  to  being  twisted  round  one’s  finger  as 
mean  men  are  twisted,  and  mean  women  will  always 
be  found  ready  to  do  it,  but  which,  I think,  all  honest 
men  and  brave  women  would  not  merely  dislike,  but 
utterly  despise. 

— — ■ 

^ATI^IOTISM. 

If  we  would  see  the  foundations  laid  broadly  and 
deeply  on  which  the  fabric  of  this  country’s  liberties 
shall  rest  to  the  remotest  generations;  if  we  would  see 
her  carry  forward  the  work  of  political  reformation, 
and  rise  the  bright  and  morning  star  of  freedom  over 
a benighted  world,  let  us  elevate  the  intellectual  and 
moral  characters  of  every  class  of  our  citizens,  and 
especially  let  us  imbue  them  thoroughly  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Goethe  says  : “ In  peace,  patriotism  really  consists 
only  in  this — that  every  one  sweeps  before  his  own 
door,  minds  his  own  business,  also  learns  his  own  les- 
son, that  it  may  be  well  with  him  in  his  own  house.” 
We  naturally  associate  the  word  with  the  idea  of  war, 


710 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


but  the  truest  patriotism  and  the  noblest,  is  developed 
in  times  of  peace,  and  is  shown  in  heroic  endeavors 
to  prevent  war  and  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
nation. 

If  I wished  to  raise  up  a race  of  statesmen,  higher 
than  politicians,  animated  not  by  greed  or  selfishness, 
by  policy  or  party,  I would  familiarize  the  boys  of  the 
land  with  the  characters  of  the  Bible,  with  Joseph  and 
Moses,  Joshua  and  Samuel,  Daniel  and  Paul — and  I 
would  teach  them  the  gentle  wisdom  of  Jesus  Christ. 

As  true  patriots,  our  object  should  be  our  country, 
our  whole  country,  and  nothing  but  our  country.  And, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  may  that  country  itself  become 
a vast  and  splendid  monument,  not  of  oppression  and 
terror,  but  of  wisdom,  of  peace,  and  of  liberty,  upon 
which  the  world  may  gaze  with  admiration  forever! 
Of  the  whole  sum  of  human  life  no  small  part  is  that 
which  consists  of  a man’s  relations  to  his  country,  and 
his  feelings  concerning  it. 

When  the  patriot  leaves  his  native  land,  he  ever 
feels  to  say,  with  Mary  Queen  of  Scots: 

“ Farewell,  dear  land,  farewell  to  thee. 

The  loved,  the  cherished  home  to  me  ; 

A theme  of  joy,  a dream  that’s  o’er — 

Farewell,  dear  land,  farewell  to  thee.” 

We  entirely  believe  that  a republican  government 
in  a Christian  land  may  be  the  highest,  the  noblest, 
and  the  happiest  that  the  world  has  yet  seen.  Still 
we  do  not  believe  in  magic ; and  we  do  not  believe  in 
idolatry.  We  Americans  are  just  as  much  given  to 
idolatry  as  any  other  people.  Our  idols  may  differ 
from  those  of  other  nations  ; but  they  are,  not  the  less, 


PATRIOTISM. 


711 

still  idols.  And  it  strikes  the  writer  that  the  ballot- 
box  is  rapidly  becoming  an  object  of  idolatry  with  us. 

From  the  vote  alone  we  expect  protection  against 
all  things  evil.  The  vote  is  expected  by  its  very  touch, 
suddenly  and  instantaneously,  to  produce  miraculous 
changes ; it  is  expected  to  make  the  foolish  wise,  the 
ignorant  knowing,  the  weak  strong,  the  fraudulent 
honest.  It  is  expected  to  turn  dross  to  gold.  It  is 
held  to  be  the  great  educator,  not  only  as  regards 
races,  but  individuals  and  classes  of  men,  and  that  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  with  magical  rapidity. 

Were  this  theory  practically  sound  the  vote  would 
really  prove  a talisman.  In  that  case  we  should  give 
ourselves  no  rest  until  the  vote  were  instantly  placed 
in  the  hands  of  every  Chinaman  landing  in  California, 
and  of  every  Indian  roving  over  the  plains.  But  are 
all  voters  wise  ? Are  all  voters  honest  ? Are  all 
voters  enlightened  ? Are  all  voters  faithful  servants 
of  their  country?  Alas!  we  know  only  too  well  that 
when  a man  is  not  already  honest,  and  just,  and  wise, 
and  enlightened,  the  vote  he  holds  cannot  make  him  so. 

It  is  very  clear  that  the  ballot-box  needs  to  be 
closely  guarded  on  one  side  by  common  sense,  on  the 
other  by  honesty ; and  the  angel  of  patriotism  must 
hover  over  all  with  her  holy  fire  to  light  the  being  who 
casts  his  franchise  in  that  sacred  receptacle.  A man 
must  be  endowed  with  a certain  amount  of  education 
and  of  principle,  before  he  receives  the  vote,  to  fit  him 
for  a worthy  use  of  it. 

Yet  there  are  men  who  have  refused  to  be  bought, 
in  all  times  and  ages.  Even  the  poorest,  inspired  by 


712 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


duty,  have  refused  to  sell  themselves  for  money. 
Among  the  North  American  Indians  a wish  for  wealth 
is  considered  unworthy  of  a brave  man,  so  that  the 
chief  is  often  the  poorest  of  his  tribe.  The  best  bene- 
factors of  the  race  have  been  poor  men,  among  the 
Israelities,  among  the  Greeks,  and  among  the  Romans. 
Elisha  was  at  the  plow  when  called  to  be  a prophet, 
and  Cincinnatus  was  in  his  fields  when  called  to  lead 
the  armies  of  Rome.  Socrates  and  Epaminondas  were 
among  the  poorest  men  in  Greece.  Such,  too,  were 
the  Galilean  fishermen,  the  inspired  founders  of  ouf 
faith. 

Aristides  was  called  “The  Just”  from  his  unbending 
integrity.  His  sense  of  justice  was  spotless,  and  his 
self-denial  unimpeachable.  He  fought  at  Marathon, 
at  Salamis,  and  commanded  at  the  battle  of  Platea. 
Though  he  had  borne  the  highest  offices  in  the  state, 
he  died  poor.  Nothing  could  buy  him;  nothing  could 
induce  him  to  swerve  from  his  duty.  It  is  said  that 
the  Athenians  became  more  virtuous  from  contemplat- 
ing his  bright  example.  In  the  representation  of  one 
of  the  tragedies  of  Hvschylus,  a sentence  was  uttered 
in  favor  of  moral  goodness,  on  which  the  eyes  of  the 
audience  turned  involuntarily  from  the  actor  to  Aris- 
tides. 

Phocion,  the  Athenian  general,  a man  of  great 
bravery  and  foresight,  was  surnamed  “The  Good.” 
Alexander  the  Great,  when  overrunning  Greece,  en- 
deavored to  win  him  from  his  loyalty.  He  offered 
him  riches,  and  the  choice  of  four  cities  in  Asia.  The 
answer  of  Phocion  bespoke  the  spotless  character  of 


PATRIOTISM. 


7X3 


the  man.  “If  Alexander  really  esteems  me,”  he  said, 
“ let  him  leave  me  my  honesty.” 

Yet  Demosthenes,  the  eloquent,  could  be  bought. 
When  Harpalus,  one  of  Alexander’s  chiefs,  came  to 
Athens,  the  orators  had  an  eye  upon  his  gold.  De- 
mosthenes was  one  of  them.  What  is  eloquence  with- 
out honesty?  On  his  visit  to  Harpalus,  the  chief 
perceived  that  Demosthenes  was  much  pleased  with 
one  of  the  king’s  beautifully-engraved  cups.  He  de- 
sired him  to  take  it  in  his  hand  that  he  might  feel  its 
weight.  “ How  much  might  it  bring?”  asked  Demos- 
thenes. “ It  will  bring  you  twenty  talents,”  replied 
Harpalus.  That  night  the  cup  was  sent  to  Demos- 
thenes, with  twenty  talents  in  it.  The  present  was  not 
refused.  The  circumstance  led  to  the  disgrace  of  the 
orator,  and  he  soon  after  poisoned  himself. 

Cicero,  on  the  other  hand,  refused  all  presents  from 
friends,  as  well  as  from  the  enemies  of  his  country. 
Some  time  after  his  assassination,  Caesar  found  one  of 
his  grandsons  with  a book  of  Cicero’s  in  his  hands. 
The  boy  endeavored  to  hide  it,  but  Caesar  took  it  from 
him.  After  having  run  over  it,  he  returned  it  to  the 
boy,  saying,  “ My  dear  child,  this  was  an  eloquent 
man,  and  a lover  of  his  country.” 

My  heart  grows  faint  with  longing,  and  I am  fairly 
homesick  at  times  to  hear  the  grand  old  tunes  of  my 
boyhood  days,  when  the  whole  land  was  marshaled 
into  patriotic  bands,  and  the  “Tramp,  tramp,  my  boys,” 
resounded  from  hillside,  valley  and  plain.  “ Brave 
boys  are  they,  gone  at  their  country’s  call,”  brings 
forth  the  silent  tear  as  memory  wanders  back  to  the 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


7H 

loved  ones  who  went  but  never  returned.  “There 
will  be  one  vacant  chair”  has  lonor  since  been  realized, 
and  but  for  Time,  the  healer  of  all  wounds,  the  realiza- 
tion would  be  past  all  endurance.  The  friend  at  my 
elbow  begins  to  hum  “ For  Dixie’s  land  we’ll  take  our 
stand,”  as  his  thoughts  go  back  over  the  same  period ; 
and  now  his  eyes  flash,  his  lips  quiver,  and  he  breathes 
forth, 

“ She  is  not  dead,  nor  deaf,  nor  dumb, — 

Huzza!  she  spurns  the  Northern  scum  ! 

She  breathes — she  burns  ! She’ll  come,  she’ll  come, 

Maryland  ! My  Maryland  ! ” 

His  heart  is  aglow  with  the  old  ardor  which  called 
forth  the  defiant  cheer  of  the  brave  patriot. 

The  finest  displays  of  power, — such  as  those 
which  delineate  Prometheus  blessing  mankind  and 
defying  the  thunder  of  Jove,  even  when  fastened  to 
the  barren  rock  with  the  vulture  tugging  at  his  heart, — 
what  are  they  but  the  principles  which  have  animated 
men  who  have  struck  for  freedom,  braving  the  dungeon, 
the  stake  and  the  scaffold  in  their  enthusiasm  for  lib- 
erty and  their  determination  to  emancipate  themselves 
and  their  fellow-creatures? 

Neither  Montaigne  in  writing  his  essays,  nor  Des- 
cartes in  building  new  worlds,  nor  Burnet  in  framing 
an  antediluvian  earth  ; no,  nor  Newton  in  discovering 
and  establishing  the  true  laws  of  nature  on  experiment 
and  a sublime  geometry,  felt  more  intellectual  joys 
than  he  feels  who  is  a real  patriot,  who  bends  all  the 
force  of  his  understanding  and  directs  all  his  thoughts 
and  actions  to  the  good  of  his  country. 


MODESTY. 


715 


fflODESTY. 

Piety  is  a kind  of  modesty.  It  makes  us  turn  aside  our  thoughts,  as  modesty 
makes  us  cast  down  our  eyes  in  the  presence  of  whatever  is  forbidden. — Joubert. 

The  most  effective  coquetry  is  innocence. 

Humility  is  an  element  of  success.  Pride  makes 
a man  overrate  himself  and  leads  him  to  undertake 
what  he  cannot  perform.  But  humility,  a true  modesty 
before  God  and  man,  teaches  him  to  wait  patiently 
until  success  comes  in  ligitimate  ways. 

People  with  great  genius  are  seldom  of  most  use 
in  the  world,  for  they  are  flattered  by  their  friends  into 
a selfish  spirit,  that  inspires  an  overweening  self-con- 
fidence, and  over-reaching  spirit  which  always  leads  to 
defeat.  Modesty  comes  soonest  and  surest  to  the 
humble  and  unattractive.  Modesty  is  not  at  all  incon- 
sistent with  dignity,  self-respect  and  proper  self-con- 
fidence. Modesty  is  the  balance-wheel  to  hold  the 
strong  man  to  a conservative  life.  Mere  bashfulness 
without  merit  is  awkward;  and  merit  without  modesty 
is  insolent.  But  modest  merit  has  a double  claim  to 
acceptance.  Modesty  is  to  merit  as  shades  to  figures 
in  a picture,  giving  it  strength  and  beauty. 

I have  observed  that  under  the  notion  of  modesty 
men  have  indulged  themselves  in  a spiritless  sheep- 
ishness, and  been  forever  lost  to  themselves,  their  fami- 
lies, their  friends,  and  their  country.  When  a man 
has  taken  care  to  pretend  to  nothing  but  what  he  may 
justly  aim  at  and  can  execute  as  well  as  any  other, 


7 1 6 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


without  injustice  to  any  other,  it  is  ever  want  of  breed- 
ing or  courage  to  be  browbeaten  or  elbowed  out  of 
his  honest  ambition.  I have  said  often  that  modesty 
must  be  an  act  of  the  will,  and  yet  it  always  implies 
self-denial;  for  if  a man  has  an  ardent  desire  to  do 
what  is  laudable  for  him  to  perform,  and  from  an 
unmanly  bashfulness  shrinks  away,  and  lets  his  merit 
languish  in  silence,  he  ought  not  to  be  angry  at  the 
world  that  a more  unskillful  actor  succeeds  in  his  part, 
because  he  has  not  confidence  to  come  upon  the  stage 
himself. 

When  a man  has  a particularly  empty  head,  he 
generally  sets  up  for  a great  judge,  especially  in  reli- 
gion. None  so  wise  as  the  man  who  knows  nothing. 
His  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  his  impudence  and  the 
nurse  of  his  obstinacy;  and  though  he  does  not  know 
B from  a bull’s  foot,  he  settles  matters  as  if  all  wisdom 
were  in  his  fingers’  ends — the  Pope  himself  is  not 
more  infallible.  Hear  him  talk  after  he  has  been  at 
meeting  and  heard  a sermon,  and  you  will  know  how 
to  pull  a good  man  to  pieces,  if  you  never  knew  it 
before.  He  sees  faults  where  there  are  none,  and  if 
there  be  a few  things  amiss,  he  makes  every  mouse 
into  an  elephant.  Although  you  might  put  all  his  wit 
into  an  egg-shell,  he  weighs  the  sermon  in  the  balances 
of  his  conceit,  with  all  the  airs  of  a bred-and-born 
Solomon,  and  if  it  be  up  to  his  standard,  he  lays  on  his 
praise  with  a trowel ; but  if  it  be  not  to  his  taste,  he 
growls  and  barks  and  snaps  at  it  like  a dog  at  a 
hedgehog. 

Wise  men  in  this  world  are  like  trees  in  a hedge, 


MODESTY. 


717 


there  is  only  here  and  there  one  ; and  when  these 
rare  men  talk  together  upon  a discourse,  it  is  good  for 
the  ears  to  hear  them;  but  the  bragging  wiseacres  I 
am  speaking  of  are  vainly  puffed  up  by  their  fleshly 
minds,  and  their  quibbling  is  as  senseless  as  the  cackle 
of  geese  on  a common.  Nothing  comes  out  of  a sack 
but  what  was  in  it,  and  as  their  bag  is  empty,  they 
shake  nothing  but  wind  out  of  it.  It  is  very  likely  that 
neither  ministers  nor  their  sermons  are  perfect — the 
best  garden  may  have  a few  weeds  in  it,  the  cleanest 
corn  may  have  some  chaff — but  cavillers  cavil  at  any- 
thing or  nothing,  and  find  fault  for  the  sake  of  showing 
off  their  deep  knowledge;  sooner  than  let  their  tongues 
have  a holiday,  they  would  complain  that  the  grass  is 
not  a nice  shade  of  blue,  and  say  that  the  sky  would 
have  looked  neater  if  it  had  been  whitewashed. 

Oh  the  vain  pride  of  mere  intellectual  ability!  how 
worthless,  how  contemptible  when  contrasted  with  the 
riches  of  the  heart!  What  is  the  understanding,  or  the 
hard,  dry  capacity  of  the  brain  and  body  ? A mere 
dead  skeleton  of  opinions,  a few  dry  bones  tied  up 
together,  if  there  be  not  a soul  to  add  moisture  and 
life,  substance  and  reality,  truth  and  joy.  Every  one 
will  remember  the  modest  saying  of  Newton — perhaps 
the  greatest  man  who  ever  lived — the  discoverer  of  the 
method  of  Fluxions,  the  theory  of  universal  gravitation 
and  the  decomposition  of  light — that  he  felt  himself  but 
as  a child  playing  by  the  seashore,  while  the  immense 
ocean  of  truth  lay  all  unexplored  before  him  ! Have 
we  any  philosophers  who  will  make  such  a confession 
now  ? 


7i8 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


A modest  person  seldom  fails  to  gain  the  goodwill 
of  those  he  converses  with,  because  nobody  envies  a 
man  who  does  not  appear  to  be  pleased  with  himself. 
Modesty  is  silent  when  it  would  be  improper  to  speak; 
the  humble,  without  being  called  upon,  never  recollects 
to  say  anything  of  himself. 

Everything  without  tells  the  individual  that  he  is 
nothing ; everything  within  persuades  him  that  he  is 
everything.  Modesty  is  the  chastity  of  merit,  the  vir- 
ginity of  noble  souls.  Modesty  and  the  dew  love  the 
shade.  Each  shine  in  the  open  day  only  to  be  exhaled 
to  heaven.  The  first  of  all  virtues  is  innocence ; the 
next  is  modesty.  If  we  banish  modesty  out  of  the 
world,  she  carries  away  with  her  half  the  virtue  that  is 
in  it.  Nothing  can  atone  for  the  want  of  modesty, 
without  which  beauty  is  ungraceful  and  wit  detesta- 
ble. 

Dr.  Johnson  says:  “ Modesty  in  a man  is  never  to 
be  allowed  as  a good  quality,  but  a weakness,  if  it 
suppresses  his  virtue,  and  hides  it  from  the  world, 
when  he  has  at  the  same  time  a mind  to  exert  himself.” 
The  humble  soul  is  like  the  violet,  which  grows  low, 
hangs  the  head  downwards,  and  hides  itself  with  its 
own  leaves;  and  were  it  not  that  the  fragrant  smell  of 
his  many  graces  discovered  him  to  the  world,  he  would 
choose  to  live  and  die  in  secrecy. 

No  humility  is  perfect  and  proportioned  but  that 
which  makes  us  hate  ourselves  as  corrupt,  but  respect 
ourselves  as  immortal ; the  humility  that  kneels  in  the 
dust  but  gazes  on  the  skies.  He  that  loves  God  until 
he  fears  nothing  is  the  typical  Christian,  the  ideal 


MODESTY. 


7 19 


man,  and  out  of  him  proceeds  all  kindness,  all  truth, 
all  love,  all  faith,  all  self-respect,  all  needful  restraint, 
all  things  that  go  to  make  him  a full  man,  moving  in 
the  ranks  of  society  naturally  and  easily.  Liberty  is 
one  of  the  signs  of  Christianity. 

Baxter  declares  : “ You  little  know  what  you  have 
done  when  you  have  first  broke  the  bounds  of  mod- 
esty; you  have  set  open  the  door  of  your  fancy  to  the 
devil,  so  that  he  can,  almost  at  his  pleasure,  ever  after 
represent  the  same  sinful  pleasure  to  you  anew ; he 
hath  now  access  to  your  fancy  to  stir  up  lustful 
thoughts  and  desires,  so  that  when  you  should  think 
of  your  calling,  or  of  your  God,  or  of  your  soul,  your 
thoughts  will  be  worse  than  swinish,  upon  the  filth 
that  is  not  fit  to  be  named.  If  the  devil  here  get  in  a 
foot,  he  will  not  easily  be  got  out.” 

Modesty  is  the  ground  on  which  all  a woman’s 
charms  appear  to  the  best  advantage.  In  manners, 
dress  and  conversation,  remember  always  that  mod- 
esty must  never  be  forgotten.  There  is  now-a-days  a 
tendency  in  woman  to  rebel  against  old-fashioned 
modesty.  The  doctrine  of  liberty  is  spreading  among 
us,  for  which  I thank  God.  But  the  first  effects  of  that 
doctrine  on  our  minds  are  a little  confusing.  We  are 
growing  more  independent  and  more  individual.  Some 
of  us  fancy  that  to  be  modest  is  to  be  old-fashioned, 
and,  of  course,  we  want  the  newest  fashions  in  all 
things.  “ I maintain  that  a modest  woman  is  the  reply 
of  my  sex  to  a brave  man — you  can  no  more  have  a 
true  woman  without  modesty  than  a true  man  without 
courage.  But  remember,  I use  the  word  modesty  in  a 


720  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

high  sense.  Not  prudery.  Prudery  is  on  the  sur- 
face ; modesty  is  in  the  soul.  Rosalind  in  her  boy’s 
suit  is  delightfully  modest,  but  not  very  prudish.” 

The  following  advice,  from  the  sermon  of  a Jewish 
rabbi,  is  directed  to  young  ladies  previous  to  mar- 
riage, during  the  progress  of  courtship  : 

“ Let  me  admonish  you  of  the  behavior  becoming 
this  relationship.  The  sweetheart  relationship  anti- 
cipates marriage,  whether  as  yet  it  has  progressed  to 
engagement  or  not.  In  view  of  this,  we  would  remind 
you  that  you  should  in  all  respects  bear  yourself  in 
such  a way  as  to  win  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
man  you  expect  to  call  your  husband.  Many  a foolish 
girl,  in  the  intimacy  of  the  sweetheart  relationship,  has 
utterly  lost  the  confidence  of  the  man  who  had  come  to 
admire  her,  although  he  himself  may  have  been  most 
at  fault.  No  man  of  self-respect  and  pride  of  character 
will  be  willing  to  marry  the  woman  in  whom  he  has 
not  entire  confidence.  She  who  is  not  unapproachably 
modest  as  a sweetheart,  will  be  justly  liable  to  sus- 
picion as  a wife. 

“ If  young  ladies  knew  how  almost  every  im- 
modesty they  suffer  comes  to  light  and  is  made  the 
subject  of  gossip  and  of  jest,  it  would  make  them  care- 
ful, even  if  their  native  self-respect  and  pride  of  char- 
acter were  not  sufficient.  Perhaps  marriage  does  not 
take  place  between  you  and  the  man  who  makes  you 
the  subject  of  his  attentions.  I am  sorry  to  say  that 
men  are  not  always  as  manly  as  they  ought  to  be  in 
regard  to  such  matters,  and  oftentimes  make  mention 
of  them  to  their  companions,  and  thus  everybody 


MANLY  BEAUTY. 


721 


comes  to  know  of  them.  But,  even  if  the  gentleman 
should  be  more  discreet  than  that,  it  may  turn  out  that 
he  at  length  marries  some  other  person,  and  some 
time  or  other,  when  your  name  is  mentioned  between 
them,  he  tells  his  wife  what  he  knows  about  you.  Then 
she — in  confidence,  of  course — mentions  the  matter  to 
some  other  lady  friend;  and  so  the  information  be- 
comes public  property. 

“ It  is  a pleasant  thing  for  a man  to  reflect,  how- 
ever loose  his  morals  may  be,  that  she  who  is  now  his 
wife  never,  in  all  their  courtship,  permitted  the  slightest 
indelicacy.” 

Nothing  is  more  amiable  than  true  modesty,  and 
nothing  more  contemptible  than  that  which  is  false; 
the  one  guards  virtue,  the  other  betrays  it.  True 
modesty  is  ashamed  to  do  anything  that  is  repugnant 
to  right  reason  ; false  modesty  is  ashamed  to  do  any- 
thing that  is  opposite  to  the  humor  of  those  with  whom 
the  party  converses.  True  modesty  avoids  everything 
that  is  criminal ; false  modesty  everything  that  is  un- 
fashionable. The  latter  is  only  a general,  undeter- 
mined instinct : the  former  is  that  instinct  limited  and 
circumscribed  by  the  rules  of  prudence. 

(Danny  Beauty. 

Beauty  is  God’s  handwriting,  a wayside  sacrament. — Milton. 

With  what  admiration  are  we  filled  at  beholding  a 
noble,  earnest  man.  The  manly  man,  whose  every 

feature  betokens  the  brave  spirit  within,  arouses  our 
46 


722 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


warmest  sympathy,  and  even  though  he  be  a stranger, 
we  wish  him  God-speed.  Then,  if  this  manliness  and 
nobility  of  bearing,  this  evident  kindliness  of  heart 
and  gentility  of  manner,  be  joined  to  a noble  frame, 
and  he  stands  forth  with  a handsome  face  and  com- 
manding figure,  we  are  ready  to  acknowledge  the 
natural  born  leader.  This  is  our  highest  type  of  manly 
beauty. 

Beauty  depends  more  upon  the  movement  of  the 
face  than  upon  the  form  of  the  features  when  at  rest. 
Thus  a countenance  habitually  under  the  influence  of 
amiable  feelings  acquires  a beauty  of  the  highest  order, 
from  the  frequency  with  which  such  feelings  are  the 
originating  causes  of  the  movement  or  expressions 
which  stamp  their  character  upon  it. 

The  high  and  divine  beauty  which  can  be  loved 
without  effeminacy,  is  that  which  is  found  in  combina- 
tion with  the  human  will,  and  never  separate. 

The  manliest  man  of  all  is  the  one  who  loves  God 
and  is  kind  to  all  His  creatures.  This  man  never  fears 
to  do  right  because  some  one  may  ridicule  him  ; he 
never  hesitates  to  say  “USTo,”  when  no  is  the  word  to  say. 

This  manly  man  was  once  a manly  boy ; then,  as 
now,  he  scorned  to  do  a mean  act,  not  because  it 
would  be  found  out,  but  because,  being  what  he  was, 
he  could  not  do  wrong.  Some  boys  cannot  do  mean 
things  ; it  is  not  in  them. 

Are  you  such  a boy?  or  do  you  go  about  slyly, 
looking  to  see  if  you  are  observed,  and  if  not — for- 
getting that  God’s  eye  is  upon  you — doing  a thousand 
things  of  which  you  ought  to  be  ashamed  ? 


MANLY  BEAUTY. 


795 

Not  long  since  two  boys  were  excused  from  their 
Sunday  school  class  because  they  were  immediately 
needed  at  home.  When  the  school  closed,  their 
teacher  saw  them  skulking  around  the  corner  to 
escape  observation.  Such  boys  will  never  make  manly 
men. 

Who  stole  those  melons,  who  stoned  that  stray 
dog,  who  jeered  at  that  poor  old  man,  who  defaces 
buildings  and  ruins  shade  trees?  Not  the  manly  boy, 
but  the  other  one  ; what  shall  we  call  him  ? Our  peni- 
tentiaries are  full  of  these  other  boys,  grown  to  be 
men  in  size,  but  never  manly  at  heart.  Will  you  be 
one  of  that  number,  or  will  you  belong  to  the  class 
who  are  never  found  there? 

Truth  is  the  foundation  and  the  reason  of  the  per- 
fection of  beauty;  for  of  whatever  stature  a thing  may 
be,  it  cannot  be  beautiful  and  perfect  unless  it  be  truly 
what  it  should  be,  and  possess  truly  all  that  it  should 
have. 

Beauty  is  the  mark  God  sets  upon  virtue.  Every 
natural  action  is  graceful.  Every  heroic  act  is  also 
decent,  and  causes  the  place  and  the  bystanders  to 
shine. 

Socrates  called  beauty  a short-lived  tyranny ; Plato, 
a privilege  of  Nature ; Theophrastus,  a silent  cheat  ; 
Theocritus,  a delightful  prejudice  ; Corneades,  a soli- 
tary kingdom  ; Domitian  said  that  nothing  was  more 
grateful  ; Aristotle  affirmed  that  beauty  was  better  than 
all  the  letters  of  recommendation  in  the  world  ; Homer, 
that  ’twas  a glorious  gift  of  Nature;  and  Ovid,  allud- 
ing to  it,  calls  it  a favor  bestowed  by  the  gods. 


724  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

When  a noble  act  is  clone, — perchance  in  a scene 
of  great  natural  beauty,  when  Leonidas  and  his  three 
hundred  martyrs  consume  one  day  in  dying,  and  the 
sun  and  moon  come  each  and  look  at  them  once  in  the 
steep  defile  of  Thermopylae  ; when  Arnold  Winkelried, 
in  the  high  Alps,  under  the  shadow  of  the  avalanche, 
gathers  in  his  side  a sheaf  of  Austrian  spears  to  break 
the  line  for  his  comrades;  are  not  these  heroes  entitled 
to  add  the  beauty  of  the  scene  to  the  beauty  of  the 
deed  ? When  the  bark  of  Columbus  nears  the  shore 
of  America, — before  it,  the  beach  lined  with  savages, 
fleeing  out  of  all  their  huts  of  cane — the  sea  behind 
and  the  purple  mountains  of  the  Indian  Archipelago 
around, — can  we  separate  the  man  from  the  living 
picture?  Does  not  the  New  World  clothe  his  form 
with  her  palm  groves  and  savannahs  as  fit  drapery? 

In  private  places,  among  sordid  objects,  an  act  of 
truth  or  heroism  seems  at  once  to  draw  to  itself  the 
sky  as  its  temple,  the  sun  as  its  candle.  Beauty 
haunts  the  depths  of  the  earth  and  sea,  and  gleams  out 
in  the  hues  of  the  shell  and  the  precious  stone. 

John  Ray  remarks  that  there  are  “ no  better  cosmet- 
ics than  a severe  temperance  and  purity,  modesty  and 
humility,  a gracious  temper  and  calmness  of  spirit ; and 
no  true  beauty  without  the  signature  of  these  graces 
in  the  very  countenance.” 

As  amber  attracts  a straw,  so  does  beauty  admira- 
tion, which  only  lasts  while  the  warmth  continues;  but 
virtue,  wisdom,  goodness,  and  real  worth,  like  the 
lodestone,  never  loose  their  power.  These  are  the 
true  graces,  which,  as  Homer  feigns,  are  linked  and 


MANLY  BEAUTY. 


725 


tied  hand  in  hand,  because  it  is  by  their  influence  that 
human  hearts  are  so  firmly  united  to  each  other. 

Cicero  says:  “I  am  of  opinion  that  there  is  nothing 
so  beautiful  but  that  there  • is  something  still  more 
beautiful,  of  which  this  is  the  mere  image  and  expres- 
sion,— a something  which  can  neither  be  perceived  by 
the  eyes,  the  ears,  nor  any  of  the  senses  ; we  compre- 
hend it  merely  in  the  imagination.” 

There  is  more  or  less  of  pathos  in  all  true  beauty. 
The  delight  it  awakens  has  an  indefinable,  and,  as  it 
were,  luxurious  sadness,  which  is  perhaps  one  element 
of  its  might.  In  ourselves,  rather  than  in  material 
nature,  lie  the  true  source  and  life  of  the  beautiful. 
The  human  soul  is  the  sun  which  diffuses  lioflit  on 
every  side,  investing  creation  with  its  lovely  hues,  and 
calling  forth  the  poetic  element  that  lies  hidden  in 
every  existing  thing. 

Nature  stretcheth  out  her  arms  to  embrace  man  ; 
only  let  his  thoughts  be  of  equal  greatness.  Willingly 
does  she  follow  his  steps  with  the  rose  and  the  violet, 
and  bend  her  lines  of  grandeur  and  grace  to  the  deco- 
ration of  her  darling  child.  Only  let  his  thoughts 
be  of  equal  scope,  and  the  frame  will  suit  the  picture. 
A virtuous  man  is  in  unison  with  her  works,  and 
makes  the  central  figure  of  the  visible  sphere. 


726 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Womanly  Ui^toes. 

A virtuous  woman  looketh  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  eateth 
not  the  bread  of  idleness. 

Amongst  women  of  breeding  die  exterior  of  gen- 
tleness is  so  uniformly  assumed,  and  the  whole  manner 
is  so  perfectly  level  and  uni,  that  it  is  next  to  impos- 
sible for  a stranger  to  know  anything  of  their  true  dis- 
positions by  conversing  with  them,  and  even  the  very 
features  are  so  exactly  regulated  that  physiognomy, 
which  may  sometimes  be  trusted  among  the  vulgar,  is, 
with  the  polite,  a most  lying  science. 

A very  termagant  woman,  if  she  happens  also  to 
be  a very  artful  one,  will  be  conscious  she  has  so  much 
to  conceal,  that  the  dread  of  betraying  her  real  tem- 
per will  make  her  put  on  an  overacted  softness, 
which,  from  its  very  excess,  may  be  distinguished  from 
the  natural  by  a penetrating  eye.  That  gentleness  is 
ever  liable  to  be  suspected  for  the  counterfeited,  which 
is  so  excessive  as  to  deprive  people  of  the  proper  use 
of  speech  and  motion,  or  which,  as  Hamlet  says, 
makes  them  lisp  and  amble  and  nickname  God’s 
creatures. 

These  uniformly  smiling  and  approving  ladies,  who 
have  neither  the  noble  courage  to  reprehend  vice  nor 
the  generous  warmth  to  bear  their  honest  testimony  in 
the  cause  of  virtue,  conclude  every  one  to  be  ill- 
natured  who  has  any  penetration,  and  look  upon  a 
distinguishing  judgment  as  want  of  tenderness.  Meek- 
ness, like  most  other  virtues,  has  certain  limits,  which 


WOMANLY  VIRTUES. 


727 

it  no  sooner  exceeds  than  it  becomes  criminal.  Ser- 
vility of  spirit  is  not  gentleness,  but  weakness,  and  if 
indulged  under  the  specious  appearances  it  sometimes 
puts  on,  will  lead  to  the  most  dangerous  compliances. 
She  who  hears  innocence  maligned  without  vindicating 
it,  falsehood  asserted  without  contradicting  it,  or  reli- 
gion profaned  without  resenting  it,  is  not  gentle,  but 
wicked. 

It  is  a singular  fact  that  when  we  reach  middle  life 
and  look  back,  it  is  not  the  beautiful,  nor  the  brilliant, 
nor  the  famous  people  whom  we  have  known,  that  we 
remember  with  the  keenest  regret,  but  some  simple, 
sincere,  “pleasant”  soul,  whom  we  treated  as  an 
everyday  matter  while  she  was  with  us. 

Go  into  a family,  or  a social  circle,  or  even  into  a 
ball-room,  and  the  woman  who  has  the  most  friends 
there,  as  a rule,  is  not  the  belle,  nor  the  wit,  nor  the 
heiress,  nor  the  beauty,  but  some  homely,  charming 
little  body,  whose  fine  tact  and  warm  heart  never  allow 
her  to  say  a wrong  word  in  a wrong  place. 

The  “ pleasant  women  ” are  the  attraction  that 
everywhere  holds  society  and  homes  together.  Any 
woman,  however  poor  or  ugly,  may  be  one  of  them  ; 
but  she  must  first  be  candid,  honorable,  unselfish  and 
loving.  If  she  is  these,  the  world  will  be  better  and 
happier  for  every  day  of  her  life. 

The  life  of  a woman  can  never  be  seen  in  its  out- 
ward form,  much  less  in  its  inner.  But  the  best  prep- 
aration for  both  is  the  careful  preparation  of  womanli- 
ness— her  natural  inheritance.  The  word  is  inde- 
finable. It  is  seen  in  the  weakness,  the  need  to  lean 


728 


WELL-STRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


upon,  to  trust,  to  confide,  to  reverence,  and  to  serve, 
as  much  as  it  is  seen  in  the  strength  that  enables  her 
to  endure,  to  protect,  to  defend,  and  to  support.  We 
find  it  in  the  plasticity  that  gives  such  marvelous 
power  of  adaptation,  as  well  as  in  the  firmness  that 
yields  only  to  duty  ; in  the  gentleness  that  wins,  and 
in  the  self-devotion  that  overcomes. 

No  trait  of  character  is  more  valuable  in  a woman 
than  the  possession  of  a sweet  temper.  Home  can 
never  be  made  happy  without  it.  It  is  like  the  flowers 
that  spring  up  in  our  pathway,  reviving  and  cheering 
us.  Let  a man  go  home  at  night,  wearied  and  worn 
out  by  the  toils  of  the  day,  and  how  soothing  is  a word 
dictated  by  a good  disposition.  It  is  sunshine  falling 
upon  his  heart.  He  is  happy,  and  the  cares  of  life  are 
forgotten.  A sweet  temper  has  a soothing  influence 
over  the  minds  of  a whole  family.  Where  it  is  found 
in  a wife  and  mother  you  observe  kindness  and  love 
predominate  over  the  bad  feelings  of  a natural  heart. 
Smiles,  kind  words  and  looks  characterize  the  children, 
and  peace  and  love  have  their  dwelling  there.  Study, 
then,  to  acquire  and  retain  a sweet  temper.  It  is  more 
valuable  than  gold;  it  captivates  more  than  beauty, 
and  to  the  close  of  life  it  retains  all  its  freshness  and 
power. 

A recent  writer,  after  describing  the  qualities  which 
ought  to  characterize  a woman’s  nature,  says,  “ One 
might  almost  fear,  seeing  how  the  women  of  to-day 
are  lightly  stirred  up  to  run  after  some  new  fashion  of 
faith  or  of  works,  that  heaven  is  not  so  near  to  them  as 
it  was  to  their  mothers  and  grandmothers;  that  religion 


WOMANLY  VIRTUES. 


7 29 

is  a feebler  power  with  them  ; that  their  hearts  are 
empty  of  all  secure  trust  and  high  faith  in  the  bene- 
ficence of  God’s  ordinations.”  The  writer  is  herself  a 
woman. 

Pericles  says:  “I  shall  advise  you  in  a few  words  ; 
aspire  only  to  those  virtues  that  are  peculiar  to  your 
sex;  follow  your  natural  modesty,  and  think  it  your 
greatest  commendation  not  to  be  talked  of,  one  way 
or  the  other.  Besides  those  important  qualities,  com- 
mon to  both,  each  sex  has  its  respective,  appropriated 
qualifications,  which  would  cease  to  be  meritorious  if 
possessed  alike  and  in  common. 

• “ Nature,  propriety  and  custom,  have  prescribed 
certain  bounds,  to  each;  bounds  which  the  prudent  and 
the  candid  will  never  attempt  to  break  down;  as  indeed 
it  would  be  highly  impolitic  to  annihilate  distinctions 
from  which  each  acquires  excellence,  and  to  attempt 
innovations  by  which  both  would  be  losers.” 

It  is  not  lack  of  intellect  on  the  part  of  women,  but 
difference  of  intellect,  or  rather  a difference  of  organi- 
zation and  affinities,  giving  a different  bias  to  the 
intellect,  which  is  the  cause  of  their  distinct  mental 
character  as  a sex. 

Woman  is  not  inferior  to  man,  but  holds  a some- 
what different  sphere.  She  should  not  seek  to  be  his 
tyrant,  or  consent  to  be  his  slave.  Her  throne  is  the 
heart.  Her  empire  the  family  with  its  far-reaching 
relationship.  As  daughter,  wife,  sister,  mother,  she 
needs  an  education  as  high  and  broad  and  varied  as 
man’s. 


730 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


We  quote  the  following  on  what  to  teach  our 
daughters : 

“Teach  them  self-reliance.  Teach  them  to  make 
bread ; to  make  shirts,  to  foot  up  store  bills,  to  wear 
thick,  warm  shoes.  Teach  them  how  to  wash  and 
iron  clothes ; how  to  make  their  own  dresses.  Teach 
them  that  a dollar  is  only  a hundred  cents.  Teach 
them  to  cook  a good  meal  of  victuals.  Teach  them 
how  to  darn  stockings  and  sew  on  buttons. 

“Teach  them  every  day  dry,  hard,  practical  common 
sense.  Teach  them  to  say  No,  and  mean  it ; or  yes,  and 
stick  to  it ; to  wear  calico  dresses  and  do  it  like  queens. 
Give  them  a good,  substantial  common-school  educa- 
tion. Teach  them  that  a good,  rosy  romp  is  worth 
fifty  consumptives.  Teach  them  to  regard  the  morals 
and  not  the  money  of  their  beaux.  Teach  them  all  the 
mysteries  of  the  kitchen,  the  dining-room  and  the 
parlor ; that  the  more  one  lives  within  his  income  the 
more  he  will  save.  To  have  nothing  to  do  with  intem- 
perate and  dissolute  young  men. 

“Teach  them  that  the  further  one  lives  beyond  his 
income  the  nearer  he  gets  to -the  poor-house.  Rely 
on  it  that  upon  your  teaching  depends  in  a great 
measure  the  weal  or  woe  of  their  after-life.  Teach 
them  that  a good  steady  mechanic  is  worth  a dozen 
loafers  in  broadcloth.  Teach  them  the  accomplish- 
ments, music,  painting,  drawing,  if  you  have  time  and 
money  to  do  it  with.” 

The  remark  may  perhaps  be  thought  too  strong,, 
but  I believe  it  is  true,  that  next  to  religious  influences 
a habit  of  study  is  the  most  probable  preservative  of 


WOMANLY  VIRTUES. 


731 


the  virtue  of  young  women.  Knowledge  is  not  as 
heretofore  confined  to  the  dull  cloister  or  the  gloomy 
college,  but  disseminated,  to  a certain  degree,  among 
both  sexes,  and  almost  all  ranks.  The  only  misfortune 
is  that  these  opportunities  do  not  seem  to  be  so  wisely 
improved,  or  turned  to  so  good  an  account,  as  might 
be  wished.  Books  of  a pernicious,  idle  and  frivolous 
sort  are  too  much  multiplied,  and  it  is  from  the  very 
redundancy  of  these  that  knowledge  is  so  scarce. 

She  who  dedicates  a portion  of  her  leisure  to  use- 
ful reading  feels  her  mind  in  a constant  progressive 
state  of  improvement,  whilst  the  mind  of  a dissipated 
woman  is  continually  losing  ground.  An  active  spirit 
rejoiceth,  like  the  sun,  to  run  his  daily  course,  while 
indolence,  like  the  dial  of  Ahaz,  goes  backwards. 

It  would  be  to  the  last  degree  presumptuous  and 
absurd  for  a young  woman  to  pretend  to  give  the  ton 
to  the  company ; to  interrupt  the  pleasure  of  others, 
and  her  own  opportunity  of  improvement  by  talking 
when  she  ought  to  listen ; or  to  introduce  subjects  out 
of  the  common  road  in  order  to  show  her  own  wit,  or 
expose  the  want  of  it  in  others ; but  were  the  sex  to 
be  totally  silent  when  any  topic  of  literature  happens  to 
be  discussed  in  their  presence,  conversation  would  lose 
much  of  its  vivacity  and  society  would  be  robbed  of  one 
of  its  most  interesting  charms. 

The  prevailing  manners  of  an  age  depend  more 
than  we  are  aware,  or  are  willing  to  allow,  on  the 
conduct  of  the  women;  this  is  one  of  the  principal 
hinges  on  which  the  great  machine  of  human  society 
turns.  Those  who  allow  the  influences  which  female 


73 2 WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

graces  have  in  contributing  to  polish  the  manners  of 
men,  would  do  well  to  reflect  how  great  an  influence 
female  morals  must  also  have  on  their  conduct. 

A close  behaviour  is  the  fittest  to  receive  virtue  for 
its  constant  guest,  because  there,  and  there  only,  it 
can  be  secured.  Proper  reserves  are  the  outworks, 
and  must  never  be  deserted  by  those  who  intend  to 
keep  the  place;  they  keep  off  the  possibilities  not  only 
of  being  taken,  but  of  being  attempted ; and  if  a 
woman  seeth  danger,  though  at  never  so  remote  adis- 
tance,  she  is  for  that  time  to  shorten  her  line  of  liberty. 
She  who  will  allow  herself  to  go  to  the  utmost  extent 
of  everything  that  is  lawful,  is  so  very  near  going  fur- 
ther, that  those  who  lie  at  watch  will  begin  to  count 
upon  her. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  girls ; one  is  the  kind  that 
appears  best  abroad — the  girls  that  are  good  for  par- 
ties, rides,  visits,  balls,  etc.,  and  whose  chief  delight  is 
such  things.  The  other  is  the  kind  that  appears  best 
at  home — the  girls  that  are  useful  and  cheerful  in  the 
dining-room,  sick-room,  and  all  the  precincts  at  home. 
They  differ  widely  in  character.  One  is  often  a tor- 
ment at  home — the  other  a blessing;  one  is  a moth, 
consuming  everything  about  her — the  other  a sunbeam, 
inspiring  light  and  gladness  all  around  her  pathway. 
The  right  kind  of  education  will  modify  both,  and 
unite  their  good  qualities. 

It  does  not  pay  you,  girls,  to  spend  your  days  in 
running  about,  or  poring  over  foolish  stories,  when 
the  whole  beautiful  world  lies  before  you.  Such  a 
course  presisted  in  will  find  you  at  the  threshold  of 


WOMANLY  VIRTUES. 


733 


womanhood  ignorant,  purposeless,  and  weary  of  living 
— no  resources  left  but  idle  gossip  over  the  affairs  of 
others,  and  weak  complaints  concerning  your  own. 

Give  your  best  sympathy.  There  is  no  greater 
human  power  than  the  tenderness  of  women.  If  you 
can  minister  to  some  one  in  sickness,  lessen  some- 
body’s distress,  or  put  a flower  in  some  poor  home,, 
you  have  done  a thing  you  will  always  be  glad  to 
think  of.  You  will  be  remembered,  and  a woman  asks 
no  grander  monument  than  to  live  in  hearts. 

Not  far  from  my  home  was  the  plain  cottage  of  an 
Irish  woman  and  her  only  son — a brave  young  fellow- 
dying  of  consumption  contracted  in  the  war.  One  dayr 
on  my  visit  to  him,  I carried  him  some  lovely  red  roses. 
The  next  time  I went  the  mother  said : “He  never  let 
the  roses  go  out  of  his  hand,  Miss.  He  held  ’em 
when  he  died,  and  the  last  he  ever  said  was,  ‘ Give  my 
blessin’  to  the  young  lady  for  bringin’  the  flowers.’  ” 
And  the  desolate  mother  buried  them  with  him,  as  the 
most  precious  thing  he  possessed.  The  blessing  of 
that  poor  Irish  youth  will  always  be  a pleasant  mem- 
ory. 

The  remembrance  of  a tender  word  will  last  long 
after  you  are  in  your  grave.  A little  ragged  boot- 
black  fell  on  the  icy  streets  of  Chicago  one  winter’s 
day.  A cheery  young  lady  passing,  said  as  she  helped 
him  up:  “Did  you  hurt  you?”  His  whole  face 

beamed  as,  after  her  departure,  he  said  to  his  com- 
panions : “ I’d  like  to  fall  a dozen  times,  if  I could  have 
her  speak  to  me  like  that.” 

Of  all  the  virtues  necessary  to  the  completion  of 


734 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


the  perfect  woman,  there  is  none  to  be  more  delicately 
implied  and  less  ostentatiously  vaunted  than  that  of 
exquisite  feeling  or  universal  benevolence.  If  women 
fulfilled  truly  their  divine  errand  there  would  be  no 
need  of  reforming  societies.  It  would  not  be  easy, 
even  for  an  unbeliever,  to  find  a better  translation  of 
the  rule  of  virtue  from  the  abstract  into  the  concrete, 
than  to  endeavor  so  to  live  that  Christ  would  approve 
our  life. 

Confucius  tells  us  that,  “to  be  able  under  all  cir- 
cumstances to  practice  five  things  constitutes  perfect 
virtue ; these  five  are  gravity,  generosity  of  soul,  sin- 
cerity, earnestness,  and  kindness.”  Virtue  is  an 
angel ; but  she  is  a blind  one,  and  must  ask  of  Knowl- 
edge to  show  her  the  pathway  that  leads  to  her  goal. 
Mere  knowledge,  on  the  other  hand,  like  a Swiss 
mercenary,  is  ready  to  combat  either  in  the  ranks  of  sin 
or  under  the  banners  of  righteousness, — ready  to  forge 
cannon-balls  or  to  print  New  Testaments,  to  navigate 
a corsair’s  vessel  or  a missionary  ship. 

A handsome  woman  pleases  the  eye,  but  a good 
woman  pleases  the  heart.  Thoroughly  sweet  and  full 
of  loveliness  are  pure  women.  There  was  never  any- 
thing so  lovely  in  air,  or  on  earth,  or  in  all  the  green 
meadows.  God  has  exalted  and  ennobled  pure  women, 
so  that  one  may  prize  and  honor  them  forevermore. 
The  treasure  of  the  world,  with  all  rapture,  lies  in 
them.  Tennyson  declares  that  “ Men  at  most  differ  as 
heaven  and  earth,  but  women,  worst  and  best,  as 
heaven  and  hell.” 

Nothing  makes  a woman  more  esteemed  by  the 


WOMANLY  VIRTUES. 


735 


opposite  sex  than  chastity,  whether  it  be  that  we 
always  prize  those  most  who  are  hardest  to  come  at, 
or  that  nothing  besides  chastity,  with  its  collateral 
attendants — truth,  fidelity  and  constancy — gives  the 
man  a property  in  the  person  he  loves,  and  conse- 
quently endears  her  to  him  above  all  things. 

The  woman  who  works  in  some  honorable  way  to 
maintain  herself  loses  none  of  the  dignity  or  refine- 
ment of  true  womanhood,  and  is  just  as  much,  even 
more,  an  ornament  to  her  sex  than  the  woman  whose 
days  are  passed  in  luxurious  indolence  and  indulgence. 

The  honor  of  woman  is  badly  guarded  w-hen  it  is 
guarded  by  keys  and  spies.  No  woman  is  virtuous 
who  does  not  wish  to  be.  Goldsmith  declares  that 
virtue  which  requires  to  be  ever  guarded  is  scarce 
worth  the  sentinel.  Modesty  is  to  worth  what  shadows 
are  in  a painting ; she  gives  to  it  strength  and  relief. 

Irving  has  beautifully  said:  “There  is  in  every  true 
woman’s  heart  a spark  of  heavenly  fire,  which  lies 
dormant  in  the  broad  daylight  of  prosperity,  but  which 
kindles  up  and  beams  and  blazes  in  the  dark  hour  oi 
adversity.”  No  man  ever  lived  a right  life  who  had 
not  been  chastened  by  a woman’s  love,  strengthened 
by  her  courage,  and  guided  by  her  discretion. 

The  poet  Shelley  says  of  woman  : “ She  is  the  most 
delightful  of  God’s  creatures — heaven’s  best  gift,  man’s 
joy  and  pride  in  prosperity,  man’s  support  and  com- 
forter in  affliction.” 


736 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TEUTH. 


Hospitality. 

It  is  for  the  children’s  sake,  even  more  than  for 
any  one  else’s,  that  every  home  ought  to  make  much 
of  the  offices  of  hospitality — ought  to  make  more 
of  them  than  our  American  homes  are  apt  to.  Guests 
are  an  essential  feature  in  the  full  equipment  of  an  ideal 
home  life.  The  house  in  which  they  are  a rarity  is 
worse  off  than  one  which  has  no  pictures,  few  books, 
or  ill-cooked  food. 

Intercourse  with  guests,  especially  with  such  as  are 
quite  outside  the  circle  of  family  cousins,  can  but 
broaden  the  horizon  of  the  home  thought  and  the  range 
of  home  talk.  Next  to  the  benefits  which  come  from 
travel,  from  mingling  with  people  away  from  your 
home,  in  enlarging  your  views  and  widening  your 
sympathies,  you  may  safely  count  that  which  comes 
from  intercourse  in  your  own  home  with  those  who 
are  away  from  theirs.  There  is  something  shriveling 
in  the  very  atmosphere  of  the  family  which  jogs  around,, 
day  after  day,  in  the  small  circle  of  its  petty  cares, 
familiar  interests  and  monotonous  employments,  with 
no  wider  excursions  into  the  large  life  of  the  world 
than  idle  gossip  about  the  nearest  neighbors.  That 
is  the  forlornness  and  the  disadvantage  of  life  in  sod 
houses  on  the  frontier,  or  log  cabins  on  the  mountains. 

Be  the  family  ever  so  well  off  otherwise,  it  needs 
the  frequent  coming  and  going  of  guests,  not  only 
to  lift  table-talk  out  of  the  petty  topics,  but  home  man- 


HOSPITALITY. 


737 


ners  out  of  the  rudeness  into  which  it  is  so  natural  for 
family  life  to  drift.  It  is  not  a little  thing  that  the 
presence  of  a guest  at  the  table  checks  so  much 
comment  upon  the  food,  so  much  cross-firing  between 
youngsters,  so  much  slinking  by  older  folks  into  the 
shell  of  their  own  meditations,  while  it  introduces  a 
wide  range  of  fresh  topics  for  family  thought  and  con- 
versation. 

But  “ company  ” is  expensive,  it  is  said,  and  most  of 
us  middle-class  Americans,  who  earn  our  livings  in 
shops  or  offices,  live  a good  deal  nearer,  anyhow,  to 
the  verge  of  our  current  income  than  prudent  people 
ought  to.  That  may  be.  The  things  that  are  most 
worth  having  generally  cost  something.  But  when  we 
once  decide  that  the  duties  of  hospitality  as  well 
deserve  to  share  in  our  outgoes  as  do  newspapers, 
church  expenses,  and  many  pleasant  and  helpful  things 
that  we  are  not  willing  to  spare,  we  shall  find  ways 
and  means  for  them.  Most  people,  though,  make  the 
mistake  of  going  to  needless  expense  in  entertaining 
their  visitors.  It  is  a poor  compliment  to  your  guest 
to  suppose  that  nothing  else  will  give  him  so  much 
pleasure  as  a profusion  of  things  good  to  eat.  Your 
delicious  salads  and  flaky  pastry  are  not  worth  the 
having  in  the  dining-room,  dear  madam,  if  their  pre- 
paration causes  you  to  wear  a weary  face  all  the 
evening  in  the  parlor. 

Every  one  knows  in  his  own  case  that  it  is  vastly 
pleasanter  to  drop  into  the  usual  family  life  of  the 
house,  where  he  is  a guest — to  sit  in  the  family  room, 

to  keep  the  family  hours,  to  share  in  the  ordinary 
47 


738 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


family  fare — than  to  go  about  with  an  oppressive  con- 
sciousness that  everything  has  been  joggled  out  of  its 
course  by  his  arrival. 

I doubt  if  that  man  or  woman  is  soundly  con- 
verted and  transformed  into  the  image  of  Christ,  who 
does  not  feel  the  heart  swell  with  this  virtue  ; and 
desire  with  all  earnestness  to  “ entertain  strangers,  for 
thereby  some  have  entertained  angels  unawares.” 
What  more  beautiful  and  attractive  sight  does  the 
world  possess  than  a lovely  Christian  home,  where  this 
grace  is  a leading  characteristic.  Where  the  stranger, 
as  well  as  the  friend,  is  ever  made  welcome  to  the  best 
the  house  affords,  and  no  apologies  made  or  needed, 
because  it  is  not  better  or  more  profuse.  Give  the 
best  that  you  have  and  with  that  give  love,  and  good 
will,  and  cheerfulness,  and  even  though  the  fare  be 
plain,  and  the  bed  hard,  and  the  rooms  small  and 
crowded,  yet  there  will  remain  in  the  memory  such  a 
sweetness  as  will  make  one  long  to  come  again,  and 
will  convince  all  hearts  that  your  invitation  is  sincere. 
Do  not  begrudge  kindness  and  attention  to  your 
guests.  Even  though  they  are  enemies,  show  them 
how  you  forgive  them  and  thus  lead  them  to  forgive 
you.  And  do  it  all  in  the  name  of  our  Lord. 

Poplicola’s  doors  were  opened  on  the  outside,  to 
save  the  people  even  the  common  civility  of  asking 
entrance;  where  misfortune  was  a powerful  recom- 
mendation, and  where  want  itself  was  a powerful 
mediator. 

In  the  charming  picture  of  domestic  peace  given 
by  an  anonymous  author  of  the  fourteenth  century,  we 


HOSPITALITY. 


739 


find  that  youths  of  the  noblest  houses  used  to  serve  at 
table  when  their  fathers  entertained  their  friends. 
There  is  an  emanation  from  the  heart  in  genuine 
hospitality  which  cannot  be  described,  but  is  immedi- 
ately felt,  and  puts  the  stranger  at  once  at  his  ease. 
Hospitality  to  the  better  sort,  and  charity  to  the  poor ; 
two  virtues  that  are  never  exercised  so  well  as  when 
they  accompany  each  other.  Hospitality  sometimes 
degenerates  into  profuseness,  and  ends  in  madness 
and  folly.  Breaking  through  the  chills  of  ceremony 
and  selfishness,  and  thawing  every  heart  into  a flow. 

What  can  there  be  more  noble  than  the  grace  of 
hospitality.  It  has  been  a leading  trait  of  character  in 
all  the  good  and  great  of  all  ages.  The  Bible  enjoins 
it  as  one  of  the  Christian  virtues,  and  all  the  old 
patriarchs  practiced  it.  Abraham  entertained  the  three 
foot-sore  and  weary  strangers,  ministering  to  their 
comfort  out  of  the  goodness  of  his  kind  heart,  and 
Lot  besought  them  to  turn  aside  and  abide  with  him, 
not  knowing  that  they  were  guardian  angels  sent  to 
save  him  from  destruction.  Jesus  would  not  suffer 
the  multitude  to  depart,  when  with  weary  footsteps, 
they  had  gathered  on  the  mountain  side  to  listen  to 
H is  blessed  words.  He  entertained  them  from  His 
royal  bounty  and  then  directed  that  the  twelve  baskets 
full  should  be  gathered  up,  that  other  poor  and  needy 
might  also  receive  the  benefit. 

Now  a good  dinner  is  an  excellent  thing.  A really 
elegant  dinner,  well  cooked,  well  served,  with  tasteful 
accompaniments  of  every  kind,  and  with  a moderate 
number  of  pleasant  people  to  enjoy  it,  is  a most  de- 


740 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


lightful  thing.  It  is  right  that  those  who  can  afford  it 
should  give  such,  replete  with  “every  delicacy  of  the 
season;”  the  best  food,  the  most  artistic  and  beautiful 
table  arrangements,  and  in  sufficient  quantity  to  satisfy 
the  guests.  Sufficient  time  also  should  be  allowed 
fairly  to  enjoy  the  meal ; taking  it  leisurely,  and  season- 
ing it  with  that  cheerful  conversation  which  is  said  to 
help  digestion.  In  truth  there  cannot  be  a pleasanter 
sight  than  an  honest,  honorable  man,  at  the  head  of 
his  own  hospitable  board,  looking  down  two  lines  of 
happy-looking  friends,  whom  he  is  sincerely  glad  to 
welcome,  and,  who  are  glad  in  return  to  give  him,  ac- 
cording to  the  stereotyped  phrase, “ the  pleasure  of 
their  company,”  which  really  is  a pleasure,  and  without 
which  the  grandest  banquets  are  weariness  inexpres- 
sible. But  the  dinner  should  be  subservient  to  the 
guests,  not  the  guests  to  the  dinner ; and  every  meal, 
be  it  simple  or  splendid,  is  worthless  altogether  unless 
eaten,  as  a good  Christian  has  it,  “in  gladness  and 
singleness  of  heart.” 

If  a man  does  not  make  new  acquaintances  as  he 
advances  through  life,  he  will  soon  find  himself  left 
alone.  A man  should  keep  his  friendship  in  constant 
repair,  and  not  neglect  old  friends  at  the  same  time. 

A good  many  years  ago  two  young  men,  John 
and  James,  Boston  boys  both,  were  fellow-clerks  on 
Kilby  street,  Boston.  John  went  to  Chicago  in  its 
muddy  days,  prospered,  married,  raised  a family,  and 
ere  his  head  was  gray  became  a well-to-do,  substantial 
citizen,  open-handed  and  open-hearted.  James  re- 
mained at  home.  He,  too,  prospered,  married,  raised 


HOSPITALITY. 


741 


a family  and  became  one  of  the  “ solid  men  of  Boston.” 
Now  it  fell  out  that  when  John’s  eldest  son  (they 
called  him  Jack)  was  twenty-one,  he  visited  Boston, 
bearing  a letter  to  his  father’s  old  friend,  whom  he 
found  in  a dingy  Pearl  street  counting  room,  deep  in 
The  Advertiser.  Jack  presented  the  letter,  and  stood 
hat  in  hand,  while  the  old  gentleman  read  it  twice. 
“So  you  are  John’s  son  ? ” said  he.  “ You  don’t  look  a 
bit  like  your  father.”  Then  there  was  a pause,  Jack 
still  standing.  “What  brought  you  to  Boston?”  he 
asked. 

“Well,  sir,”  said  Jack,  “father  thought  I had  better 
see  his  old  home,  and  get  a taste  of  salt  air.” 

“ Going  to  be  here  over  Sunday  ? ” 

“Yes,  sir.” 

“My  pew  is  No.  — , at  Trinity.  Hope  to  see  you 
there.  Glad  to  have  met  you.”  And  here  the  inter- 
view ended. 

Now  it  chanced  that,  not  long  after,  James’  son, 
roving  through  the  West,  reached  Chicago.  He 
remembered  his  father’s  friend  by  name,  and  hunted 
him  up  in  his  office. 

“ Well,  my  son  ? ” said  a pleasant  voice  before  he 
had  closed  the  door. 

“ My  name  is  James , sir,  and  I thought — ” 

“Why!  You  don’t  mean  to  say — . Of  course 
you  are.  I might  have  known  it.  Where’s  your  bag- 
gage ? ” 

“ At  the  hotel,  sir.” 

“At  the  hotel!  We’ll  go  and  get  it,  and  take  it 
right  up  to  the  house,”  answered  the  genial  old  gen- 


742 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


tleman,  closing  his  desk  with  a vigorous  slam.  “ We’ll 
go  right  up  now.  There’s  plenty  of  time  for  a drive 
this  afternoon.  This  evening  you  can  spend  in  com- 
pany with  my  girls,  and  to-morrow  you  and  I will  take 
a run  out  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy 
road,  and  have  a look  at  the  country.  Then  I want  to 
take  you  out  to  the  stockyards,  and  have  a trip  on  the 
lake,  and — ” 

“ But,  sir,”  broke  in  the  overwhelmed  young  man, 
“ I must  go  home  to-morrow.” 

“Tut,  tut,  my  boy,  don’t  talk  that  way.  You  can’t 
begin  to  see  this  city  under  a week,  and  you’re  going 
to  stay  that  long,  anyhow.” 

“Strangers!”  Oh,  it  is  a sacred  word!  Be  kind 
to  them.  Their  homes  may  be  afar,  their  hearts  may 
be  broken,  and  a kind  deed,  a kind  word  to  them  may 
be  like  dew  to  a fainting  flower,  a flash  of  heavenly 
light  into  a dark  chamber. 

The  cry  “On  to  Richmond!  ” awakened  no  enthu- 
siasm in  the  hearts  of  the  Third  Ohio  one  clay  when 
they  found  themselves  en  route  as  prisoners  of  war 
for  that  famous  capital.  Nor  were  they  enthusiastic 
when  they  halted  for  the  night  and  prepared  to  sink 
supperless  into  dreamland. 

The  Fifty-fourth  Virginia  regiment  was  encamped 
near  by,  and  some  of  the  men  came  down  to  have  a 
look  at  the  Yanks. 

“ Had  your  coffee  ? ” asked  one,  of  a blue  coat 
stretched  disconsolately  on  the  bank. 

“Not  a sup,”  answered  the  other. 

“Ain’t  you  had  any  rations  to-night?” 


HOSPITALITY. 


743 


“ Only  a crumb  or  two  from  the  bottom  of  our 
haversacks.” 

This  was  told  to  the  boys  of  the  Fifty-fourth,  and 
old  Virginia  hospitality  showed  itself  at  once.  The 
men  soon  made  their  appearance  with  coffee-kettles, 
corn-bread  and  bacon,  the  best  they  had.  In  a few 
minutes  the  coffee  was  steaming,  the  bacon  cooked, 
and  prisoners  and  captors  sat  down  together  around 
the  camp-fire,  “like  kinsmen  true  and  brothers  tried.” 
The  hungry,  grateful  Yankees  ate  with  a relish  such  as 
no  one  can  appreciate  unless  he  has  been  in  a like 
situation. 

No  wonder  there  was  a warm  spot  in  every  heart 
of  the  Third  Ohio  ever  after  for  the  generous  Fifty- 
fourth. 

A fresh  slide  in  the  magic  lantern  gives  another  of 
these  shifting  war  pictures.  In  the  distance  is  Mission 
Ridge,  which  has  just  been  stormed.  That  long  line 
of  prisoners  passing  over  the  pontoon  bridge  and  up 
the  stony  mountain  road  is  the  Fifty-fourth  Virginia. 
A soldier  on  duty  at  Kelly’s  Ferry  asked  indifferently 
of  one  of  the  prisoners  as  the  regiment  passed: 

“ What  regiment  is  this  ? ” 

“ The  Fifty-fourth  Virginia,”  was  the  reply. 

In  an  instant  the  loungers  sprang  to  their  feet  and 
rushed  to  camp.  “The  Fifty-fourth  Virginia  is  at  the 
ferry,”  they  shouted  as  they  ran  in  and  out  among  the 
tents  of  the  Third  Ohio. 

The  Ohio  boys  were  quickly  in  motion.  Boxes 
from  home  and  all  reserve  stores  were  speedily  ran- 
sacked. Coffee  and  sugar,  beef  and  canned  peaches 


744 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


and  the  best  they  had  of  everything  were  freely 
brought  forth.  They  remembered  gratefully  their  debt 
of  honor,  and  paid  it  nobly.  It  was  the  same  old 
scene  over,  with  the  shading  reversed.  For  one  night 
at  least  both  Confederates  and  Yankees  enjoyed  again 
the  sweet  grace  of  hospitality  that  could  bring  a smile 
even  to  the  grim  visage  of  war. 

Domestic  <§ies. 

Well  might  the  mind  be  haunted,  age  after  age 
with  a social  ideal  never  yet  realized!  Life,  a sacred 
thing.  Every  child  a divine  promise.  Every  family 
beginning  the  race  anew  from  a higher  point.  Brothers 
and  sisters  ministering  angels  to  each  other’s  purity 
and  beneficence.  Every  addition  a new  element  of 
happiness.  Education  the  rearing  of  a living  temple. 
Conjugal  love  a central  fountain  in  warm,  fragrant, 
perpetual  play.  The  father,  the  representative  of 
God;  feeding  them,  as  a prophet,  with  more  than 
angel's  food  ; as  a priest,  standing  at  the  portico  of  the 
temple  to  guard  it  from  pollution,  or  ministering  at  its 
holy  altar,  and  finding  his  spirit  purified  and  refreshed 
by  the  service  ; swaying  like  a king,  a divine  scepter, 
and  tasting  the  Godlike  blessedness  of  seeing  his 
subjects  find  happiness  and  freedom  in  obedience. 

We  speak  of  philosophers  who  “Look  through 
Nature  up  to  Nature’s  God.”  And  shall  it  not  be  so 
that  our  children  can  look  through  us  up  to  the  God 


DOMESTIC  TIES. 


745 


and  Father  of  us  all?  Care  not  for  the  Babel  towers 
of  Shinar  that  cannot  even  touch  the  clouds,  when  at 
■your  own  lowly  thresholds  are  waiting  chariots  of  fire 
to  bear  you  beyond  the  firmament.  Astronomers  tell 
us  of  certain  double  stars  that  revolve  about  a common 
center,  and  in  some  way  are  necessary  to  each  other. 
So,  in  the  family  life,  there  is  a common  center  of  in- 
terest and  responsibility,  affection  and  duty;  they  are 
two,  yet  one,  and  each  is  necessary  to  the  other. 

Husbands  should  try  to  make  home  happy  and 
holy.  It  is  an  ill  bird  that  fouls  its  own  nest,  a bad 
man  who  makes  his  home  wretched.  Our  house  ought 
to  be  a little  church,  with  holiness  to  the  Lord  over 
the  door,  but  it  ought  never  to  be  a prison,  where 
there  is  plenty  of  rule  and  order,  but  little  love  and  no 
pleasure.  Married  life  is  not  all  sugar,  but  grace  in 
the  heart  will  keep  away  most  of  the  sours.  Godliness 
and  love  can  make  a man  like  a bird  in  a hedge,  sing 
among  thorns  and  briers,  and  set  others  a singing  too. 
It  should  be  the  husband’s  pleasure  to  please  his  wife, 
and  the  wife’s  care  to  care  for  her  husband.  He  is 
kind  to  himself  who  is  kind  to  his  wife.  I am  afraid 
some  men  live  by  the  rule  of  self,  and  when  that  is  the 
case  home  happiness  is  a mere  sham.  When  husbands 
and  wives  are  well  yoked,  how  light  their  load  be- 
comes! It  is  not  every  couple  that  is  a pair,  and.  the 
more’s  the  pity.  In  a true  home  all  the  strife  is  which 
can  do  the  most  to  make  the  family  happy.  A home 
should  be  a Bethel,  not  Babel. 

The  husband  should  be  the  house-band,  binding  all 
together  like  a corner-stone,  but  not  crushing  every- 


746 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


thing  like  a millstone.  Unkind  and  domineering  hus- 
bands ought  not  to  pretend  to  be  Christians,  for  they 
act  clean  contrary  to  Christ’s  demands.  Yet  a home 
must  be  well  ordered,  or  it  will  become  a Bedlam,  and 
be  a scandal  to  the  village.  If  the  father  drops  the 
reins,  the  family-coach  will  soon  be  in  the  ditch.  A 
wise  mixture  of  love  and  firmness  will  do  it;  but 
neither  harshness  not  softness  alone  will  keep  home  in 
happy  order.  Home  is  no  home  where  the  children 
are  not  in  obedience;  it  is  rather  a pain  than  a pleasure 
to  be  in  it  Happy  is  he  who  is  happy  in  his  children, 
and  happy  are  the  children  who  are  happy  in  their 
father.  All  fathers  are  not  wise.  Some  are  like  Eli, 
and  spoil  their  children.  Not  to  cross  our  children  is 
the  way  to  make  a cross  of  them.  Those  who  never 
give  their  children  the  rod  must  not  wonder  if  their 
children  become  a rod  to  them. 

Solomon  says,  “ Correct  thy  son,  and  he  shall  give 
thee  rest;  yea,  he  shall  give  delight  to  thy  soul.”  I 
am  not  clear  that  anybody  wiser  than  Solomon  lives 
in  our  time,  though  some  think  they  are.  Young  colts 
must  be  broken  in,  or  they  will  make  wild  horses. 
Some  fathers  are  all  fire  and  fury,  filled  with  passion 
at  the  smallest  fault;  this  is  worse  than  the  other,  and 
makes  home  a little  hell  instead  of  a heaven.  No  wind 
makes  the  miller  idle,  but  too  much  upsets  the  mill 
altogether.  Men  who  strike  in  their  anger  generally 
miss  their  mark.  When  God  helps  us  to  hold  the 
reins  firmly,  but  not  to  hurt  the  horses’  mouths,  all 
goes  well.  When  home  is  ruled  according  to  God’s 
word,  angels  might  be  asked  to  stay  a night  with  us, 


DOMESTIC  TIES. 


747 


and  they  would  not  find  themselves  out  of  their  ele- 
ment. 

It  is  better  to  keep  children  to  their  duty  by  a sense 
of  honor  and  by  kindness,  than  by  fear  and  punish- 
ment. 

A friend  gave  us  the  other  day  a startling  illustra- 
tion of  the  disastrous  influence  on  the  mind  of  a 
susceptible  boy  of  an  angry  and  unjust  epithet  cast 
upon  him  by  an  excited  father.  The  boy  had  com- 
mitted some  rather  serious  misdemeanor,  and  the 
father  became  enraged.  He  was  a tall,  large,  fine- 
looking  man,  and  summoned  the  boy  to  see  him.  But 
the  father  lost  possession  of  himself,  and  called  his  son 
an  atrocious  name.  The  boy  turned  pale.  The  epi- 
thet sank  into  his  heart  like  lead,  and  now  that  he  is  a 
man  and  widely  respected,  he  has  been  heard  to  say 
that  from  that  moment  he  has  known  no  such  things  as 
love  to  his  father.  Before  that  he  had  been  one  of 
the  most  affectionate  of  boys,  and  has  often  tried  to 
reason  himself  into  his  earlier  love  for  his  father ; but 
it  has  gone,  and  he  cannot  bring  it  back.  The  lesson 
of  this  fact  is  too  plain  and  pungent  to  need  naming. 

“ Stint  yourself,”  says  Charles  Buxton,  “ as  you 
think  good,  in  other  things  ; but  don’t  scruple  freedom 
in  brightening  home.  Gay  furniture  and  a brilliant 
garden  are  a sight  day  by  day,  and  make  life  blither.” 

If  foreign  parents  are  to  be  blamed  for  the 
“ arranged  ” or  compelled  marriages,  which  we  so 
strongly  condemn,  I think  we  are  also  to  blame  when 
we  stand  in  the  way  of  our  children’s  happiness,  or 
tacitly  let  it  slip  by,  giving  them  no  opportunity  of 


748 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


making  a rational  choice  in  marriage.  Surely  it  is  the 
bounden  duty  of  wise  elders  not  to  ignore  nature,  but 
to  accept  the  inevitable  cares  of  “ pairing-time,”  when 
the  young  birds,  fully  fledged,  will  desire  to  leave  the 
nest,  however  soft  it  is  made  ; when  that  over-power- 
ing instinct  before  which  the  warmest  filial  love  sinks 
cold  and  colorless  will  assert  itself,  aye  and  guide  itself, 
too  ; unless  we  have  strength  and  self-denial — ah,  no 
end  to  parental  self-denial! — to  forget  our  personal 
pain,  and,  throwing  ourselves  heartily  into  the  young 
folks’  place,  succeed  in  guiding  it  a little,  also. 

At  best,  this  love-season  is  a sad  one,  since  few 
love  affairs  are  perfectly  smooth  and  happy,  and  to  see 
our  children  suffer  is  sharper  than  to  suffer  ourselves; 
especially  when  we  can  no  longer  help  them.  While 
they  are  babies,  there  is  a certain  omnipotence  about 
parenthood  ; but  when  the  time  comes  that  the  child’s 
unfailing  shelter  is  no  longer  the  mother’s  heart,  when 
the  father’s  strong  right  arm  of  guidance  and  protec- 
tion sinks  absolutely  powerless — then  things  grow 
hard. 

The  foundation  of  domestic  happiness  is  faith  in  the 
virtue  of  woman  ; the  foundation  of  political  happiness 
is  confidence  in  the  integrity  of  man;  the  foundation  of 
all  happiness,  temporal  and  eternal,  is  reliance  on  the 
goodness  of  God. 

Men  who  drive  their  wives  from  their  homes  by 
drunkenness  and  unkindness,  or  downright  cruelty, 
generally  render  a return  and  reconciliation  impossible 
by  casting  reproach  upon  them,  and  by  using  oppro- 
brious epithets  concerning  them.  Many  a wretch  who 


DOMESTIC  TIES. 


749 


never  owned  a decent  bed  nor  furnished  respectable 
board  for  the  patient  woman  who  toiled  for  him,  has 
advertised  his  wife  as  at  least  a doubtful  character,  who 
had  left  them  both  “without  cause  or  provocation;” 
and  forbids  the  world  “ to  trust  her  on  his  account,” 
albeit  he  has  no  credit  anywhere. 

The  Kennebec  “ Journal,”  published  at  Augusta, 
Maine,  gives  an  account  of  a husband  who  was  more 
just  towards  his  wife,  whom  he  had  driven  away,  and 
who  was  rewarded  for  his  truthfulness  and  candor  per- 
haps beyond  his  just  deserts.  “In  1831  Jacob  Flagg 
of  this  city,  an  intemperate  man,  had  a most  excel- 
lent wife,  who,  tired  of  her  repeated  failures  in  the  line 
of  reformation,  finally  left  him.  Flagg  advertised  her 
thus  : ‘ Left  my  bed  and  board — one  of  the  best  of 
wives.  Whoever  will  give  information  as  to  where  I 
may  find  her,  shall  be  suitably  rewarded  and  all  ex- 
penses paid.’  It  is  fair  to  say  the  good  wife  returned, 
the  husband  reformed  and  the  couple  lived  together 
happily  for  years.” 

An  eminent  public  man  who  shall  be  nameless — a 
man  of  great  intellectual  power,  of  real  goodness  of 
heart  at  bottom,  but  sadly  broken  and  demoralized  by 
a loner-continued  course  of  wrong-living  and  much 
wrong-doing — was  once  told  by  a boon  companion  how 
a certain  other  public  man  had  been  abusing  him. 

“Never  mind,”  said  our  eminent  friend,  whose  soul 
was  really  above  the  level  of  petty  scandal  and  malice. 
“ The  fellow  is  only  a dirty  blackguard  and  I care  not 
to  know  what  he  says  of  me.” 

“ But,  my  dear  sir,  if  he  is  allowed  to  go  on  in  that 


750 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


way,  he  will  ruin  your  character,  he  will  destroy  your 
credit,  perhaps  injure  your  prospects  for  the  future.” 
“Tut,  tut!  My  character — what  there  is  of  it — is 
too  tough  for  such  a man  to  injure  it;  my  credit  is  a 
phantom,  at  best;  and  as  for  my  prospects  in  the  future, 
I doubt  if  he  can  make  them  more  dubious  than  they 
now  are.” 

“Well,”  persisted  the  friend,  after  a little  pause, 
“how  do  you  like  the  idea  of  his  making  free  with  the 
name  of  your  wife  ? ” 

The  man  was  aroused  on  the  instant. 

“ He  ! Does  he  dare  ? ” 

“Yes.  He  declares  that  your  wife  is  altogether 
too  good  for  you.” 

“What?  Does  he  say  that?  ” 

“Yes,  he  has  said  it  repeatedly.” 

“Well,  well — there’s  something  good  in  the  fellow, 
after  all.  Bless  him  for  the  truth  he  tells — for,  my 
dear  fellow,  that  is  true — as  true  as  the  gospel.” 

The  great  man  sat  for  many  minutes  with  his  head 
bowed  down  upon  his  hand,  and  when  he  next  looked 
up,  his  face  had  grown  wondrOusly  soft  and  pathetic. 

“Yes — he  told  the  truth  ! I think  I’ll  go  home  and 
have  a chat  with  that  woman.  Who  knows  but  that 
she  may  help  me? — Zounds!  I have  not  thought  of 
her.  Bless  the  rascal  for  reminding  me!  Yes,  sir  ! 
He  told  the  truth  there  ! ” 

And  the  worker  for  the  nation — the  politician, 
weak  and  weary — set  forth  to  find  the  one  being  of 
earth  in  whom,  when  all  else  should  have  failed  him, 
he  felt  he  could  trust. 


DOMESTIC  TIES. 


75* 


“How  do  you  manage  him  ! ” This  is  the  question 
that  we  heard  asked  of  one  of  “the  dearest  and  best  ” 
of  wives,  who  was  conspicuously  happy  in  her  domestic 
relations.  “Ah!”  she  said,  with  a merry  twinkle  in 
her  soft  eyes,  “ the  best  way  to  manage  a husband  is 
not  to  manage  him.”  We  were  struck  with  the  subtle 
wisdom  of  the  seeming  paradox. 

There  should  be  but  one  will  with  a married  couple 
who  are  truly  mated,  and  that  should  be  the  will  of — 
both.  To  those  who  know  the  sweet  authority  of  love, 
this  will  not  seem  like  another  paradox.  We  have 
known  couples — not  so  many  as  we  could  wish — both 
of  whom  could  truthfully  say,  after  a dozen  or  twenty 
years’  walking  of  the  long  path  together,  that  they 
had  had  their  own  way,  because  the  necessary  mutual 
yielding  had  been  done  so  cheerfully  and  so  wholly 
that  but  the  one  way  remained. 

Some  of  the  more  direct  methods  of  managing 
husbands  may  be  mentioned,  if  it  can  be  done  without 
getting  preachy.  “ Keep  him  in  love  with  you,”  is  the 
first  injunction  to  a wife  who  asks  such  a question. 
When  that  can  be  done,  all  the  rest  follows.  How  it 
can  be  done  we  do  not  know ; you  ought  to,  if  you 
know  what  he  loved  you  for  in  the  first  place.  We  do 
not  mean  simply  faithful  and  provident  and  kind,  but 
loving , with  all  the  world  of  meaning  which  that  very 
word  of  God  contains.  It  cannot  always  be  done,  for 
many  men  are  selfish,  sensual,  devilish,  and  more  yet 
are  careless  and  unstable.  But  the  good  and  true  men 
who  love  their  wives  are  easily  manageable  in  all  rea- 
sonable directions. 


752 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Bhilanthi^opy. 

Philanthropy  is  a duty.  He  who  frequently  prac- 
tices it,  and  sees  his  benevolent  intentions  realized,  at 
length  comes  really  to  love  him  to  whom  he  has  done 
good.  When,  therefore,  it  is  said,  “Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself,”  it  is  not  meant  thou  shalt  love 
him  first,  and  do  him  good  in  consequence  of  that 
love,  but,  thou  shalt  do  good  to  thy  neighbor,  and  this 
thy  beneficence  will  engender  in  thee  that  love  to  man- 
kind which  is  the  fullness  and  consummation  of  the 
inclination  to  do  good. 

It  is  an  old  saying  that  charity  begins  at  home,  but 
this  is  no  reason  it  should  not  go  abroad.  A man 
should  live  with  the  world  as  a citizen  of  the  world  ; he 
may  have  a preference  for  the  particular  quarter  or 
square,  or  even  alley  in  which  he  lives,  but  he  should 
have  a generous  feeling  for  the  welfare  of  the  whole. 

The  conqueror  is  regarded  with  awe,  the  wise  man 
commands  our  esteem,  but  it  is  the  benevolent  man 
who  wins  our  affections. 

“The  great  men  of  the  world,”  says  one,  “are  the 
shadowy  men,  who,  having  lived  and  died,  now  live 
again  and  forever,  through  their  undying  thoughts;” 
and  he  might  have  added,  through  their  undying  exam- 
ple. For  though  their  voices  shall  no  more  audibly 
speak,  the  tones  of  their  example  will  still  be  heard, 
louder  than  thunders,  and  more  unceasingly  than  the 
flow  of  the  tides  or  the  winds  of  heaven,  so  that  their 


PHILANTHROPY. 


753 


true  'lie  will  still  be  felt  for  good  long  after  they  have 
laps^  d to  the  unseen  world  ! So  it  is  that  Moses  still 
lives  as  the  law  giver  of  the  world,  and  Luther  as  the 
noble  defender  of  the  faith  to  the  end  of  time,  and  that 
Washington  and  Lincoln  and  Garfield  still  live  for 
their  country,  and  that  every  faithful  Christian  will  live, 
and  his  power  be  felt  for  good,  long  after  he  has  left 
these  scenes  of  time  and  sense  forever! 

That  sixpence  thrown  to  a mendicant,  only  to  be 
converted  into  gin  or  beer,  that  five  pounds  lent  to 
a needy  acquaintance,  who  always  has  been  needy 
and  always  will  be,  because  he  has  not  the  slightest 
sense  of  the  value  of  money,  nor  the  least  conscience 
in  obtaining  it  or  spending  it,  these,  with  a hundred 
similar  cases,  are  specimens  of  what  I call  the  crime 
of  benevolence.  The  donors  err,  not  only  in  what 
they  do,  but  in  what  they  leave  undone.  They  may 
be  benevolent  in  vague  intention,  but  of  true  philan- 
thropy they  have  not  the  slightest  idea. 

Benevolence  consists  in  mere  kind  feeling;  doing 
good  certainly  sometimes,  but  in  a vague  and  careless 
way,  and  more  for  its  own  pleasure  than  for  another’s 
benefit;  giving,  because  to  give  is  agreeable,  but  tak- 
ing little  pains  to  ascertain  what  has  been  the  result  of 
the  gift.  The  donor  has  done  his  part,  and  that  is 
enough.  It  may  be  another  heresy,  but  I am  afraid 
the  reason  that  our  charitable  institutions  are  so 
numerous,  and  our  subscription-lists  so  easy  to  fill  up,  is 
because,  of  all  modes  of  benevolence,  giving  of  money 
is  the  one  which  involves  least  trouble. 

But  philanthropy  costs  trouble.  It  requires  in  the 

48 


754 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


individual  some  rather  rare  qualities  ; powers  of  admin- 
istration and  patient  investigation;  clear  judgment  and 
capacity  for  work ; a kind  heart  and  a cool  head — aye, 
and  a hard  head  too.  The  power  of  saying  No,  and 
the  will  to  say  it,  with  a steady,  strong,  unvarying  jus- 
tice, are  as  necessary  as  quick  sympathy  and  ready  help. 

There  is  nothing  that  requires  so  strict  an  econo- 
my as  our  philanthropy.  We  should  husband  our 
means  as  the  agriculturist  does  his  manure,  which  if 
he  spread  over  too  large  a surface  produces  no  crop, 
if  over  too  small  a one,  exuberates  in  rankness  and 
in  weeds,  or  burns  up  vegetation  altogether. 

One  who  often  speaks  wisely,  says  : “ Riches  fly — 
clip  their  wings  and  give  the  orphans  the  feathers.” 
There  is  no  use  of  money  equal  to  that  of  beneficence; 
here  the  enjoyment  grows  on  reflection. 

Among  all  the  schemes  devised  for  doing  good 
none  are  more  worthy  of  support  than  those  which 
seek  during  the  summer  time  to  place  poor  little  city 
children  for  a few  weeks  in  happy  homes  in  the 
country.  During  the  second  week  in  August,  1879, 
over  four  hundred  children  under  five  years  of  age 
died  in  the  city  of  New  York  alone.  What  a vast 
sacrifice  of  life  ; what  a source  of  sorrow  ! Far  worse 
than  the  yellow  fever  in  Memphis. 

The  name  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Fry  will  ever  be  held 
in  veneration  as  the  prisoners’  friend,  next  to  that  of 
Howard.  She  was  born  May  21,  1780,  and  died 
October  13,  1845.  The  source  of  her  usefulness  may 
be  learned  from  her  words,  spoken  to  a friend  during 
her  last  illness : “ Since  my  heart  was  touched  at 


PHILANTHROPY. 


755 


seventeen  years  of  age,  I believe  I have  never 
awakened  from  sleep,  in  sickness  or  in  health,  by  day 
or  by  night,  without  my  first  waking  thought  being, 
‘how  I might  best  serve  my  Lord.’  ” In  1 8 1 8,  a year 
and  a half  after  her  first  visit  to  Newgate,  order  and 
prosperity  prevailed  within  those  walls.  The  “wild 
beasts  ” were  harmless,  kind  and  always  industrious. 
The  prison  had  become  a marvel  of  industry  and  pro- 
priety ; the  lord  mayor,  sheriff,  and  aldermen  of  Lon- 
don, came  to  witness  the  miracle ; and  statesmen, 
scholars,  highborn  lords  and  ladies,  and  travelers  from 
far  and  near,  flocked  to  see  the  change. 

A beneficent  person,  like  a fountain,  waters  the  earth 
and  spreads  fertility.  It  is  more  delightful  and  more 
honorable  to  give  than  to  receive.  It  is  another’s  fault 
if  he  be  ungrateful,  but  it  is  mine  if  I do  not  give.  To 
find  one  thankful  man  I will  help  many  that  are  not  so. 
A physician  is  not  angry  at  the  intemperance  of  a 
mad  patient,  nor  does  he  take  it  ill  to  be  railed  at  by 
a man  in  a fever.  Just  so  should  a wise  man  treat  all 
mankind,  as  a physician  does  his  patient,  and  look 
upon  them  only  as  sick  and  extravagant.  Shall  we 
repine  at  a little  misplaced  charity,  we  who  could  no 
way  foresee  the  effect, — when  an  all-knowing,  all-wise 
Being  showers  down  every  day  His  benefits  on  the 
unthankful  and  undeserving? 

There  cannot  be  a more  glorious  object  in  creation 
than  a human  being  replete  with  benevolence,  medi- 
tating in  what  manner  he  might  render  himself  most 
acceptable  to  his  Creator  by  doing  most  good  to  his 
creatures. 


756 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


CQai^iage  Uows. 

No  system  of  philosophy  has  ever  yet  worked  out 
in  behalf  of  woman  the  practical  results  for  her  good 
which  Christianity  has  conferred  on  her.  Christianity 
has  raised  woman  from  slavery,  and  made  her  the 
thoughtful  companion  of  man  ; it  finds  her  the  mere 
toy  or  the  victim  of  his  passions,  and  it  places  her  by 
his  side,  his  truest  friend,  his  most  faithful  counsellor, 
his  helpmeet  in  every  worthy  and  honorable  task.  It 
protects  her  far  more  effectually  than  any  other  sys- 
tem. It  cultivates,  elevates,  strengthens,  purifies  all 
her  highest  endowments,  and  holds  out  to  her  aspira- 
tions the  most  sublime  for  that  future  state  of  exist- 
ence where  precious  rewards  are  promised  to  every 
faithful  discharge  of  duty,  even  the  most  humble. 
But  while  conferring  on  her  these  priceless,  blessings, 
it  also  enjoins  the  submission  of  the  wife  to  the  hus- 
band, and  allots  a subordinate  position  to  the  whole 
sex  while  here  on  earth. 

There  must  of  necessity,  in  such  a state  of  things, 
be  certain  duties  inalienably  connected  with  the  posi- 
tion of  man;  others  inalienably  connected  with  the 
position  of  woman.  For  the  one  to  assume  the  duties 
of  the  other  becomes,  first,  an  act  of  desertion,  next,  an 
act  of  usurpation.  For  the  man  to  discharge  worthily 
the  duties  of  his  own  position  becomes  his  highest 
merit.  For  the  woman  to  discharge  worthily  the  du- 
ties of  her  own  position  becomes  her  highest  merit. 


MARRIAGE  VOWS. 


757 


To  be  noble,  the  man  must  be  manly  ; to  be  noble, 
the  woman  must  be  womanly.  Independently  of  the 
virtues  required  equally  of  both  sexes,  such  as  truth, 
uprightness,  candor,  fidelity,  honor,  we  look  in  man 
for  somewhat  more  of  wisdom,  of  vigor,  of  courage, 
from  natural  endowment  combined  with  enlarged  ac- 
tion and  experience ; in  woman  we  look  more  es- 
pecially for  greater  purity,  modesty,  patience,  grace, 
sweetness,  tenderness,  refinement,  as  the  consequences 
of  a finer  organization  in  a protected  and  sheltered 
position.  That  state  of  society  will  always  be  the 
most  rational,  the  soundest,  the  happiest,  where  each 
sex  conscientiously  discharges  its  own  duties  without 
intruding  on  those  of  the  other.  The  two  make  up 
but  one  species,  one  body  politic  and  religious.  There 
are  many  senses  besides  marriage  in  which  the  two  are 
one.  It  is  the  right  hand  and  the  left,  both  belonging 
to  one  body,  moved  by  common  feeling,  guided  by 
common  reason.  The  left  hand  may  at  times  be 
required  to  do  the  work  of  the  right,  the  right  to  act 
as  the  left.  Even  in  this  world  there  are  occasions 
when  the  last  are  first  and  the  first  last,  without  dis- 
turbing the  general  order  of  things.  The  exceptional 
-cases  temper  the  general  rule,  but  they  cannot  abro- 
gate that  rule  as  regards  the  entire  sex.  Man  learns 
from  them  not  to  exaggerate  his  superiority — a lesson 
very  often  needed.  And  woman  learns  from  them  to 
connect  self-respect  and  dignity  with  true  humility,  and 
never,  under  any  circumstances,  to  sink  into  the  mere 
tool  and  toy  of  man — a lesson  equally  important. 

Any  revolution  aiming  at  upsetting  the  existing 


753 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


relations  of  th*e  sexes — relations  going  back  to  the 
earliest  records  and  traditions  of  the  race — cannot  be 
called  less  than  formidable  and  dangerous. 

There  is  a creed  abroad  that  a young  man  is  better 
alone,  free  from  all  incumbrance  of  wife  or  children; 
but  in  the  old  times  it  was  not  so.  Then  children  were 
esteemed  “a  heritage  and  gift  that  cometh  from  the 
Lord;”  now,  selfish  luxury,  worldliness  and  the  love 
of  outward  show  have  brought  our  young  men — ay, 
and  some  women  too — to  such  a pass  that  they  feel, 
nay,  openly  declare,  every  child  born  to  them  is  a new 
enemy;  and  marriage,  instead  of  being  “honorable”  tO' 
all,  is  a folly,  a delusion,  or  a dread.  Why  is  this  ? And 
is  it  the  men’s  fault,  or  the  women’s?  Both,  perhaps; 
yet  I think  chiefly  the  women’s.  Feeble,  useless,  half- 
educated;  taught  to  believe  that  ignorance  is  amusing 
and  helplessness  attractive;  no  wonder  the  other  sex 
shrinks  from  taking  upon  itself,  not  a help,  but  a 
burden — charming  enough  before  marriage — but  after? 
The  very  man  who  at  first  exulted  in  his  beautiful, 
ornamental  wife,  his.  sweet,  humble  Circassian  slave, 
will  by-and-by  be  the  first  to  turn  around  and  scorn  her. 

Marriage  is  a divine  institution.  It  is  founded  on 
the  nature  of  man  as  constituted  by  God.  He  made 
man  male  and  female,  and  ordained  marriage  as  the 
indispensable  condition  of  the  continuance  of  the  race. 
Marriage  was  instituted  before  the  existence  of  civil 
society,  and,  therefore,  cannot  in  its  essential  nature 
be  a civil  institution.  We  cannot  exaggerate  the 
importance  to  society  of  entertaining  sound  views  of 
the  sanctity  of  marriage,  for  the  more  nearly  we  realize 


MARRIAGE  VOWS. 


759 


the  divine  idea  of  marriage,  the  more  nearly  will  we 
approach  to  the  Edenic  purity  and  happiness  of  the 
human  race. 

Injudicious  marriages  are  causing  much  unhappi- 
ness in  the  world.  In  the  first  place  as  to  the  social 
position  of  the  parties : while  we  are  no  great  stickler 
for  social  position,  yet  it  is  necessary  that  some  atten- 
tion should  be  paid  to  it.  While  it  is  not  very  im- 
portant with  a man,  it  is  with  a woman.  A husband 
takes  his  wife  into  his  own  social  position,  whether  it 
is  to  lift  her  up  or  drag  her  down  to  it.  The  woman 
who  marries  beneath  her  is  apt  to  cut  herself  off  from 
the  old  associations  of  friends  and  family.  She  will  be 
made  to  feel  very  bitterly;  and  in  many  instances  the 
result  is  that,  seeing  her  friends  and  family  looking 
down  upon  her  husband,  she  comes  finally  to  recognize 
his  inferiority  and  to  regard  him  with  disgust.  God 
intended  that  a wife  should  look  up  to  her  husband 
with  a trustful  and  affectionate  respect,  and  not  to  look 
down  upon  bim  as  her  inferior.  Such  marriages  are 
not  fortunate. 

The  sweetheart  relation  should  be  guarded  very 
carefully,  because  when  once  formed  there  is  such  a 
glamour  upon  the  eyes  that  they  cannot  see  things  as 
they  are.  After  marriage  it  is  too  late.  It  is  a dif- 
ficult thing  for  the  young  lady  to  believe  that  the 
young  man  of  her  choice  has  bad  habits.  If  any  one 
has  the  frankness  to  tell  her  of  them,  she  either  thinks 
there  is  some  mistake  about  it,  or  that  her  informant 
is  actuated  by  malicious  motives  or  that  her  betrothed 
will  now  lay  them  aside.  Some  heroic  maidens  say: 


760 


WELL-STRINGS  OL  TRUTH. 


“Well,  I will  marry  him  despite  his  bad  habits.  I will 
marry  him  and  reform  him.”  There  may  be  a few 
such  cases  of  reformation,  but  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
the  man  goes  to  the  dogs,  and  takes  the  devoted 
young  woman  along  with  him.  If  she  had  known  at 
the  outset  the  style  of  man  he  was,  she  would  not 
have  suffered  her  heart  to  become  interested  in  him; 
but  afterwards  she  has  not  the  moral  strength  to  con- 
quer her  attachment. 

But  vicious  habits  are  not  the  only  ones  that  wreck 
the  happiness  of  married  life.  There  may  be  a bad 
temper,  there  may  be  untruthfulness  and  insincerity, 
there  may  be  coarseness,  there  may  be  habits  which 
are  not  domestic,  there  may  be  an  arbitrary  and  tyran- 
nical disposition.  If  young  ladies  were  a little  more 
guarded  in  coming  into  what  we  term  the  sweetheart 
relation,  there  would  not  be  so  many  wives  with 
crushed  spirits  and  broken  hearts. 

Marriage  is,  of  all  earthly  unions,  almost  the  only 
one  permitting  of  no  change  but  that  of  death.  It  is 
that  engagement  in  which  man  exerts  his  most  awful 
and  solemn  power — the  power  of  responsibility  which 
belongs  to  him  as  one  that  shall  give  account — the 
power  of  abnegating  the  right  to  change — the  power 
of  parting  with  his  freedom — the  power  of  doing  that 
which  in  this  world  can  never  be  reversed.  And  yet 
it  is  perhaps  that  relationship  which  is  spoken  of  most 
frivolously  and  entered  into  most  carelessly  and  most 
wantonly.  It  is  not  a union  merely  between  two  crea- 
tures, it  is  a union  between  two  spirits  ; and  the  inten- 
tion of  that  bond  is  to  perfect  the  nature  of  both  by 


MARRIAGE  VOWS. 


76l 


supplementing  their  deficiencies  with  the  force  of  con- 
trast, giving  to  each  sex  those  excellencies  in  which  it 
is  naturally  deficient;  to  the  one  strength  of  character 
and  firmness  of  moral  will,  to  the  other  sympathy, 
meekness,  tenderness.  And  just  so  solemn,  and  just 
so  odorious  as  these  ends  are  for  which  the  union  was 

o 

contemplated  and  intended,  just  so  terrible  are  the 
consequences  if  it  be  perverted  and  abused  ; for  there 
is  no  earthly  relationship  which  has  so  much  power  to 
ennoble  and  to  exalt. 

“ The  married  man,”  says  Feltham,  “ is  like  the  bee 
that  fixes  his  hive,  augments  the  world,  benefits  the 
republic,  and  by  daily  diligence,  without  wronging  any, 
profits  all ; but  he  who  contemns  wedlock,  like  a wasp 
wanders  an  offense  to  the  world,  lives  upon  spoil  and 
rapine,  disturbs  peace,  steals  sweets  that  are  none  of 
its  own,  and,  by  robbing  the  hives  of  others,  meets 
misery  as  his  due  reward.” 

“ Hast  thou  a soft  heart?  It  is  of  God’s  breaking. 
Hast  thou  a sweet  wife  ? She  is  of  God’s  making 
The  Hebrews  have  a saying,  ‘ He  is  not  a man  that 
hath  not  a woman.’  Though  man  alone  may  be  good, 
yet  it  is  not  good  that  man  should  be  alone.  ‘ Every 
good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above.’  A 
wife,  though  she  be  not  a perfect  gift,  is  a good  gift,  a 
beam  darted  from  the  Sun  ol  mercy.  How  happy  are 
those  marriages  where  Christ  is  at  the  wedding ! Let 
none  but  those  who  have  found  favor  in  God’s  eyes 
find  favor  in  yours.  Husbands  should  spread  a mantle 
of  charity  over  their  wives’  infirmities.  Do  not  put  out 
the  candle  because  of  the  snuff.  Husbands  and  wives 


762 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


should  provoke  one  another  to  love,  and  they  should 
love  one  another  notwithstanding  provocations.  The 
tree  of  love  should  grow  up  in  the  midst  of  the  family 
as  the  tree  of  life  grew  in  the  garden  of  Eden. 
Good  servants  are  a great  blessing  ; good  children  a 
greater  blessing ; but  a good  wife  is  the  greatest 
blessing  ; and  such  a helpmeet  let  him  seek  for  that 
wants  one ; let  him  sigh  for  her  that  hath  lost  one  ; 
let  him  delight  in  her  that  enjoys  one.” 


One  may  venture  to  affirm,  that  with  all  their 
profligate  ideas,  both  of  women  and  religion,  neither 
Bolingbrake,  Wharton,  Buckingham,  Lord  Chester- 
field, nor  even  Aaron  Burr  would  have  esteemed  a 
woman  the  more  for  her  being-  irreligious.  For  with 
whatever  ridicule  a polite  free-thinker  may  effect  to 
treat  religion  himself,  he  will  think  it  necessary  that 
his  wife  should  entertain  different  notions  of  it.  He 
may  pretend  to  despise  it  as  a matter  of  opinion,  depend' 
ing  on  creeds  and  systems;  but  if  he  is  a man  of  sense 
he  will  know  the  value  of  it,  as  a governing  principle, 
which  is  to  influence  her  conduct  and  direct  her 
actions.  If  he  sees  her  unaffectedly  sincere  in  the 
practice  of  her  religious  duties,  it  will  be  a secret 


(Conjugal  Fidelity, 


“ Thrice  happy  they,  and  more  than  that, 
Whom  band  of  love  so  firmly  ties, 


That  without  brawls  till  death  them  part, 
’Tis  undissolved  and  never  dies.” 


CONJUGAL  FIDELITY. 


763 


pledge  to  him,  that  she  will  be  equally  exact  in  fulfilling 
the  conjugal;  for  he  can  have  no  reasonable  depen- 
dence on  her  attachment  to  him,  if  he  has  no  opinion 
of  her  fidelity  to  God.  She  who  neglects  first  duties 
gives  but  an  indefinite  proof  of  her  disposition  to  fill  up 
inferior  ones,  and  how  can  a man  of  any  understand- 
ing (whatever  his  own  religious  professions  may  be) 
trust  that  woman  with  the  care  of  his  family,  and  the 
education  of  his  children,  who  herself  wants  the  best 
incentive  to  a virtuous  life,  the  belief  that  she  is  an 
accountable  creature,  and  the  reflection  that  she  has  an 
immortal  soul  ? 

The  author  of  “Sermons  out  of  Church”  gives  sen- 
sible advice  in  the  following  words:  “ I say  distinctly, 

wives,  obey  your  husbands,  as  children,  your  parents 
— in  the  Lord.  But  only  in  the  Lord.  Yield  as  much 
as  possible  in  ordinary  things;  conquer  your  tempers, 
modify  your  tastes;  give  up  everything,  in  short,  that  is 
not  a compromise  of  principle.  When  it  comes  to 
that,  resist!  Whatever  they  may  be  to  you,  and  how 
great  soever  your  love  for  them,  resist  them.  Never 
allow  either  father,  husband,  brother,  son,  to  stand, 
between  you  and  the  clear  law  of  right  and  wrong  in 
your  own  soul,  which  the  God  who  made  you  has  put 
there.  If  you  do,  you  fall  into  that  sin  of  which  I 
speak,  and  will  assuredly,  soon  or  late,  earn  its  bitter 
wages.” 

The  man’s  desire  is  for  the  woman ; but  the 
woman’s  desire  is  rarely  other  than  for  the  desire  of 
the  man.  A good  wife  is  like  the  ivy  which  beau- 
tifies the  building  to  which  it  clings,  twining  its 


764 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


tendrils  more  lovingly  as  time  converts  the  anciei  L 
edifice  into  a ruin.  Hannah  More  says:  “Absence  in 
love  is  like  water  upon  fire;  a little  quickens,  but  much 
extinguishes  it.” 

The  love  of  some  men  for  their  wives  is  like  that 
of  Alfieri  for  his  horse.  “ My  attachment  for  him,” 
said  he,  “ went  so  far  as  to  destroy  my  peace  every 
time  that  he  had  the  least  ailment,  but  my  love  for 
him  did  not  prevent  me  from  fretting  and  chafing  him 
whenever  he  did  not  wish  to  go  my  way.” 

The  Bible  gives  us  infallible  rules  upon  this  mat- 
ter: “For  this  cause  shall  a man  leave  father  and 
mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife,  and  they  twain 
shall  be  one  flesh.”  “Wherefore  they  are  no  more 
twain,  but  one  flesh.  What,  therefore,  God  has  joined 
together,  let  no  man  put  asunder.”  “So  ought  men 
to  love  their  wives  as  their  own  bodies.  He  that  lov- 
eth  his  wife  loveth  himself.” 

Have  you  ever  seen  the  young  red  foxes  mating? 
They  stare  upon  each  other  with  wide-open  eyes  for 
some  minutes,  and  then  lie  down  side  by  side  in  the 
shade  of  the  rock,  with  eyes  half  closed,  as  if  perfectly 
content.  Keep  your  eyes  well  open  upon  each  other’s 
faults  while  you  are  in  the  period  of  courtship;  but 
when  you  are  married  let  your  eyes  be  partly  closed 
in  charity,  forbearing  with  and  in  love  helping  to 
remove  your  mutual  failings. 

I wonder  whether  the  subtle  measuring  of  forces  will 
ever  come  to  measuring  the  force  there  is  in  one  beauti- 
ful woman  whose  mind  is  as  noble  as  her  face  is 


CONJUGAL  FIDELITY.  765 

beautiful — who  makes  a man’s  passion  for  her  rush 
in  one  current  with  all  the  great  aims  of  his  life  ! 

O woman ! thou  knowest  the  hour  when  the  good- 
man  of  the  house  will  return,  when  the  heat  and  bur- 
den of  the  day  are  past.  Do  not  let  him  at  such  time, 
when  he  is  weary  with  toil  and  jaded  with  discourage- 
ment, find  upon  his  coming  to  his  habitation  that  the 
foot  which  should  hasten  to  meet  him  is  wandering  at 
a distance,  that  the  soft  hand  which  should  wipe  the 
sweat  from  his  brow  is  knocking  at  the  door  of  other 
houses. 

Theodore  Parker  wrote:  “Young  people  marry 
their  opposites  in  temperament  and  general  character 
and  such  marriages  are  generally  good  ones.  They 
do  it  instinctively.  The  young  man  does  not  say, 

‘ My  black  eyes  require  to  be  wed  with  blue,  and  my 
over-vehemence  requires  to  be  a little  modified  with 
somewhat  dullness  and  reserve.’  When  these  oppo- 
sites come  together  to  be  wed  they  do  not  know  it, 
but  each  think  the  other  just  like  themselves.” 

Old  people  never  marry  their  opposites;  they 
marry  their  similars  and  from  calculation.  Each  of 
these  two  arrangements  is  very  proper.  In  their  long 
journey  these  opposites  will  fall  out  a great  many 
times,  and  charm  the  other  back  again,  and  by  and  by 
they  will  be  agreed  as  to  the  place  they  will  go  to,  and 
the  road  they  will  go  by,  and  both  be  reconciled.  The 
man  will  be  nobler  and  larger  for  being  associated  with 
so  much  humanity  unlike  himself,  and  she  will  be  a 
nobler  woman  for  having  manhood  beside  her  that 
seeks  to  correct  her  deficiencies  and  supply  her  with 


7 66 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


what  she  lacks,  if  the  diversity  be  not  too  great,  and  if 
there  be  real  generosity  and  love  in  their  hearts  to 
begin  with.  The  old  bridegroom,  having  a much 
shorter  journey  to  make,  must  associate  himself  with 
one  like  himself. 

A perfect  and  complete  marriage  is,  perhaps,  as 
rare  as  perfect  personal  beauty.  Men  and  women  are 
married  fractionally,  now  a small  fraction,  then  a large 
fraction.  Very  few  are  married  totally,  and  then  only, 
I think,  after  some  forty  or  fifty  years  of  gradual  ap- 
proach and  experiment. 

Such  a large  and  sweet  fruit  is  a complete  mar- 
riage, that  it  needs  a very  long  summer  to  ripen  in, 
and  then  a long  winter  to  mellow  and  season.  But  a 
real,  happy  marriage  of  love  and  judgment  between  a 
noble  man  and  woman  is  one  of  the  things  so  very 
handsome  that,  if  the  sun  were  as  the  Greek  poets 
fabled,  a god,  he  might  stop  the  world  in  order  to 
feast  his  eyes  with  such  a spectacle. 

One  of  the  quaintest  old  books  that  you  may  find 
in  many  a day  is  Burton’s  “ Anatomy  of  Melancholy,” 
but  we  take  a few  thoughts  from  it,  that  are  pleasing, 
both  in  their  quaintness  and  suggestiveness. 

As  Seneca  lived  with  his  Paulina,  Abraham  and 
Sarah,  Orpheus  and  Euridyce,  Rubenius  Celer,  that 
would  needs  have  it  engraven  on  his  tomb  he  had  led 
- his  life  with  Ennea,  his  dear  wife,  forty-three  years 
eight  months,  and  never  fell  out.  There  is  no  pleasure 
in  this  world  comparable  to  it,  as  one  holds,  there’s 
something  in  a woman  beyond  all  human  delight;  a 
magnetic  virtue,  a charming  quality,  an  occult  and 


CONJUGAL  FIDELITY. 


767 

powerful  motive.  The  husband  rules  her  as  head,  but 
she  again  commands  his  heart,  he  is  her  servant,  she  is 
only  joy  and  content;  no  happiness  is  like  unto  it,  no 
love  so  great  as  this  of  man  and  wife,  no  such  comfort 
as  a sweet  wife.  When  they  love  at  last  as  fresh  as 
they  did  at  first,  as  Homer  brings  Paris  kissing  Helen, 
after  they  had  been  married  ten  years,  protesting 
withal  that  he  loved  her  as  dear  as  he  did  the  first  hour 
that  he  was  betrothed.  And  in  their  old  age,  when  they 
made  much  of  one  another,  saying,  as  he  did  to  his 
wife  in  the  poet, 

“ Dear  wife,  let’s  live  in  love,  and  die  together, 

As  hitherto  we  have  in  all  good  will : 

Let  no  day  change  or  alter  our  affections, 

But  let’s  be  young  to  one  another  still.” 

Such  should  conjugal  love  be,  still  the  same,  and  as 
they  are  one  flesh,  so  should  they  be  of  one  mind,  as 
in  an  aristocratical  government,  one  consent,  Geyron- 
like,  have  one  heart  in  two  bodies,  will  and  will  the 
same.  A good  wife,  according  to  Plutarch,  should  be 
as  a looking-glass  to  represent  her  husband’s  face  and 
passion  ; if  he  be  pleasant,  she  should  be  merry  ; if  he 
laugh,  she  should  smile ; if  he  look  sad,  she  should 
participate  of  his  sorrow  and  bear  a part  with  him,  and 
so  should  they  continue  in  mutual  love  one  towards 
another. 

“ No  age  shall  part  my  love  from  thee,  sweet  wife, 

Though  I live  Nestor  or  Tithonus’  life.” 

And  she  again  to  him,  as  the  bride  saluted  the  bride- 
groom of  old  in  Rome:  “Be  thou  still  Caius,  I'll  be 
Caia.” 


768 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


<9HE  l^EAI^TH-STONE. 

We  are  hanging  up  pictures  every  day  about  the  chamber  walls  of  our  hearts- 
that  we  shall  have  to  look  at  when  we  sit  in  the  shadows. 

Ah,  boys!  you  who  have  gone  out  from  the  old- 
homesteads  into  the  rush  and  bustle  of  life,  do  you 
ever  think  of  the  patient  mothers  who  are  stretching 
out  to  you  arms  that  are  powerless  to  draw  you  back 
to  the  old  home  nest  ? Arms  that  were  strong  to  carry 
you  once,  pressed  to  hearts  that  love  you  now  as  then. 

No  matter  though  your  hair  is  “silver-streaked,” 
and  Dot  in  the  cradle  calls  you  “Grandpa,”  you  are 
only  “ the  boys”  so  long  as  mother  lives.  You  are 
the  children  of  the  old  home.  Nothing  can  crowd  you 
out  of  mother’s  heart.  You  may  have  failed  in  the 
battle  of  life,  and  your  manhood  may  have  been  crushed 
out  against  the  wall  of  circumstances,  you  may  have 
been  prosperous,  and  gained  wealth  and  fame,  but 
mother’s  love  has  followed  you  always.  Many  a “boy” 
has  not  been  home  for  five,  ten,  or  twenty  years.  And 
all  this  time  mother  has  been  waiting.  Ah,  who  does 
not  know  the  agony  expressed  by  that  word  ? She 
may  be  even  now  saying,  “I  dreampt  of  John  last 
night.  Maybe  he  will  come  to-day.  He  may  drop 
in  for  dinner;”  and  the  poor  trembling  hands  prepare 
some  favorite  dish  for  him.  Dinner  comes  and  goes, 
but  John  comes  not  with  it.  Thus,  day  after  day, 
month  after  month,  and  year  after  year  passes,  till  at 
last  “ hope  deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick,”  ay,  sick. 


THE  HEARTH-STONE.  769 

unto  death, — the  feeble  arms  are  stretched  out  no 
longer. 

The  dim  eyes  are  closed,  the  gray  hairs  are 
smoothed  for  the  last  time,  and  the  tired  hands  are 
folded  to  everlasting  rest,  and  the  mother  waits  no 
more  on  earth  for  one  who  comes  not.  God  grant  she 
may  not  have  to  wait  vainly  for  his  coming  in  heaven. 
Once  more  I say  to  you,  boys,  go  home,  if  only  for  a 
day.  Let  mother  know  you  have  not  forgotten  her. 
Her  days  may  be  numbered.  “Next  winter”  may 
cover  her  grave  with  snow. 

A home  is  the  place  where  character  is  formed, 
where  education  goes  on,  and  where  people  are  im- 
pressed for  time  and  for  eternity.  It  is  a place  to  be 
happy  in,  and  to  start  out  from,  for  all  good,  honest, 
and  earnest  living.  Very  great  is  her  responsibility 
who  is  queen  of  this  kingdom.  To  a veiy  great  extent 
she  makes  or  mars  its  completeness. 

In  a home  there  should  be  liberty  without  license, 
time  for  family  intercourse,  and  space  for  personal 
solitude,  room  for  the  entertainment  of  guests,  and 
the  maintenance  of  social  life ; over  all,  a tender,  trust- 
ful, daily  atmosphere  of  true  devotion  and  communing 
with  God. 

Let  nobody  who  is  a housekeeper  fear  to  magnify 
her  office.  It  is  a sacred  one,  and  if  she  perform  its 
duties  faithfully,  she  is  worthy  of  no  stinted  praise. 

Of  course  young  people  ought  to  marry  early,  and 
build  up  a home  together.  The  idea  that  a man  must 
be  wealthy  before  he  weds  fills  the  community  with 

fortune-seeking  bachelors  and  unhappy  spinsters  ; it 
49 


77  o 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


endangers  virtue,  destroys  the  true  economy  and  de- 
sign and  the  beneficent  intentions  of  the  home.  It 
promotes  vice,  idleness,  inefficiency  and  imbecility 
among  women,  who  seem,  from  an  unsympathetic  out- 
set thenceforward,  to  expect  to  be  taken  up  by  fortune 
and  oassively  sustained,  and  without  any  concern  on 
their  oart.  It  is  thus  that  a man  finds  it  difficult  to 
obtain  a helpmeet.  However  large  you  make  the 
circle  of  a woman’s  life,  home  ought  to  be  its  center. 

A p-ood  husband  makes  a good  wife.  Some  men 
can  neither  do  without  wives  nor  with  them;  they  are 
wretcned  alone  in  what  is  called  single  blessedness, 
and  they  make  their  homes  miserable  when  they  get 
married  ; they  are  like  Tompkins’  dog,  which  could  not 
bear  to  be  loose  and  howled  when  it  was  tied  up. 
Happv  bachelors  are  likely  to  be  happy  husbands,  and 
a hapnv  husband  is  the  happiest  of  men.  A well- 
matched  couple  carry  a joyful  life  between  them,  as 
the  two  spies  carry  the  cluster  of  Eschol.  They  are  a 
brace  of  birds  of  paradise.  They  multiply  their  joys 
by  sharing  them,  and  lessen  their  troubles  by  dividing 
them.  This  is  fine  arithmetic.  The  wagon  of  care 
rolls  lightly  along  as  they  pull  together,  and  when  it 
drags  a little  heavily,  or  there  is  a hitch  anywhere, 
they  love  each  other  so  much  the  more;  and  so  lighten 
the  labor. 


THE  TRUE  WIFE. 


771 


©HE  ©I^UE  &5ife. 

Woman  is  the  Sunday  of  man;  not  his  repose  only,  but  his  joy;  the  salt  of 
his  life. — Michelet. 

The  heart  of  a man,  with  whom  affection  is  not  a 
name,  and  love  a mere  passion  of  the  hour,  yearns 
towards  the  quiet  of  a home,  as  towards  the  goal  of  his 
earthly  joy  and  hope.  And  as  you  fasten  there  your 
thought,  an  indulgent  yet  dreamy  fancy  paints  the 
loved  image  that  is  to  adorn  it,  and  to  make  it  sacred. 

She  is  there  to  bid  you  God-speed ! and  an  adieu, 
that  hangs  like  music  on  your  ear,  as  you  go  out  to 
the  every-day  labor  of  life.  At  evening  she  is  there 
to  greet  you,  as  you  come  back  wearied  with  a day’s' 
toil ; and  her  look,  so  full  of  gladness,  cheats  you  of 
vour  fatigue  ; and  she  steals  her  arm  around  you,  with 
a soul  of  welcome,  that  beams  like  sunshine  on  her 
brow  and  that  fills  your  eye  with  tears  of  a twin  orati- 
+ude — to  her,  and  heaven. 

She  is  not  unmindful  of  those  old-fashioned  vir- 
tues of  cleanliness  and  of  order,  which  give  an  air  of 
ouiet,  and  which  secure  content.  Your  wants  are  all 
anticipated ; the  fire  is  burning  brightly ; the  clean 
hearth  flashes  under  the  joyous  blaze  ; the  old  elbow- 
chair  is  in  its  place.  Your  very  unworthiness  of  all 
this  haunts  you  like  an  accusing  spirit,  and  yet  pene- 
trates your  heart  with  a new  devotion  towards  the  loved 
one  who  is  thus  watchful  of  your  comfort. 

She  is  gentle ; keeping  your  love  as  she  has  won 


77  2 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


it,  by  a thousand  nameless  and  modest  virtues,  which 
radiate  from  her  whole  life  and  action.  She  steals 
upon  your  affections  like  a summer  wind  breathing 
softly  over  sleeping  valleys.  She  gains  a mastery 
over  your  sterner  nature  by  very  contrast,  and  wins 
you  unwittingly  to  her  lightest  wish.  And  yet  her 
wishes  are  guided  by  that  delicate  tact,  which  avoids 
conflict  with  your  manly  pride  ; she  subdues,  by  seem- 
ing to  yield.  By  a single,  soft  word  of  appeal,  she 
robs  your  vexation  of  its  anger;  and  with  a slight 
touch  of  that  fair  hand,  and  one  pleading  look  of  that 
earnest  eye,  she  disarms  your  sternest  pride. 

She  is  kind ; — shedding  her  kindness  as  Heaven 
sheds  dew.  Who  indeed  could  doubt  it? — least  of  all, 
you  who  are  living  on  her  kindness  day  by  day,  as 
flowers  live  on  light  ? There  is  none  of  that  officious 
parade  which  blunts  the  point  of  benevolence ; but  it 
tempers  every  action  with  a blessing. 

She  is  good  ; her  hopes  live  where  the  angels  live. 
Her  kindness  and  gentleness  are  sweetly  tempered 
with  that  meekness  and  forbearance  which  are  born  of 
faith.  Trust  comes  into  her  heart  as  rivers  come  to 
the  sea.  And  in  the  dark  hours  of  doubt  and  fore- 
boding you  rest  fondly  on  her  buoyant  faith  as  the 
treasure  of  your  common  life ; and  in  your  holier 
musings  you  look  to  that  frail  hand  and  that  gentle 
spirit  to  lead  you  away  from  the  vanities  of  worldly 
ambition,  to  the  fullness  of  that  joy  which  the  good 
inherit. 

The  true  wife  takes  a sympathy  in  her  husband’s 
pursuits.  She  cheers  him,  encourages  him,  and  helps 


THE  TRUE  WIFE. 


773 


him.  She  enjoys  his  successes  and  his  pleasures,  and 
makes  as  little  as  possible  over  his  vexations. 

Oftentimes  I have  seen  a tall  ship  glide  by  against 
the  tide,  as  if  drawn  by  an  invisible  tow  line  with  a 
hundred  strong  arms  pulling  it.  Her  sails  unfurled, 
her  streamers  drooping,  she  had  neither  side-wheel 
nor  stern -wheel ; still  she  moved  on,  stately,  in  serene 
triumph,  as  with  her  own  life.  But  I knew  that  on  the 
other  side  of  the  ship  hidden  beneath  the  great  hulk 
that  swam  so  majestically,  there  was  a little  toilsome 
steam  tug,  with  a heart  of  fire  and  arms  of  iron,  that 
was  tugging  it  bravely  on  ; and  I knew  that  if  the  little 
steam  tug  untwined  her  arms  and  left  the  ship  it  would 
wallow  and  roll  away,  and  drift  hither  and  thither,  and 
go  off  with  the  affluent  tide,  no  man  knows  where  ; 
and  so  I have  known  more  than  one  genius,  high- 
decked, full-freighted,  wide-sailed,  gay  pennoned,  who, 
but  for  the  bare,  toiling  arm  and  brave,  warm  heart  of 
the  faithful  little  wife  that  nestled  close  to  him  so  that 
no  wind  or  wave  could  part  them,  would  have  gone 
down  with  the  stream  and  been  heard  of  no  more. 

A judicious  wife  is  always  nipping  off  from  her  hus- 
band’s moral  nature  little  twigs  that  are  growing 
in  wrong  directions.  She  keeps  him  in  shape  by 
continual  pruning.  If  you  say  anything  silly,  she  will 
affectionately  tell  you  so.  If  you  declare  that  you  will 
do  some  absurd  thing,  she  will  find  some  means  of 
preventing  you  from  doing  it.  And  by  far  the  chief 
part  of  all  the  common  sense  there  is  in  this  world 
belongs  unquestionably  to  women.  The  wisest  things 
a man  commonly  does,  are  those  which  his  wife  coun- 


774 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


sels  him  to  do.  A wife  is  a grand  wielder  of  the  moral 
pruning-knife.  If  Johnson’s  wife  had  lived,  there 
would  have  been  no  hoarding  up  of  orange  peel,  no 
touching  all  the  posts  in  walking  along  the  streets,  no 
eating  and  drinking  with  disgusting  voracity. 
If  Oliver  Goldsmith  had  been  married  he  never  would 
have  worn  that  memorable  and  ridiculous  coat. 
Whenever  you  find  a man  whom  you  know  little 
about,  oddly  dressed,  or  talking  absurdly,  or  exhibit- 
ing eccentricity  of  manner,  you  may  be  sure  that 
he  is  not  a married  man,  for  the  corners  are  rounded 
off — the  little  shoots  pared  away — in  married  men. 
Wives  have  generally  much  more  sense  than  their 
husbands,  even  though  they  may  be  clever  men.  The 
wife’s  advice  is  like  the  ballast  that  keeps  the  ship 
steady. 

Great  attention,  and  with  good  cause  has  been 
given  to  the  “social  evil,”  which  it  is  declared  is 
increasing  with  alarming  rapidity.  Perhaps  we  may 
discover  one  of  the  hidden,  but,  as  I believe,  a most 
potent  cause,  of  this  great  destroyer  of  home  life,  in 
the  deplorable  ideas  imbibed  by  our  daughters,  from 
social  surroundings.  Society  teaches  them  that  the 
greatest  misfortune  that  can  befall  a wife  is  to  be  a 
mother.  With  this  idea  implanted  and  cultivated  by 
sly  inuendoes  and  slighting  remarks,  they  enter  the 
sacred  condition  of  wives  with  the  most  profound  aver- 
sion for  that  of  mothers.  Domestic  disruption,  alien- 
ated affections,  blasted  and  blighted  hopes,  shattered 
health,  and  final  damnation  of  soul,  are  results  that 
only  too  surely  follow. 


THE  CROWN  OF  HONOR. 


775 


©HE  ©r^OWN  OP  F^onoi^. 

Beyond  death’s  cloudy  portal 

There  is  a land  where  beauty  never  dies, 

Where  love  becomes  immortal. 

He  that  does  good  for  good’s  sake  seeks  neither  praise  nor  reward,  though 
sure  of  both  at  last. 

That  is  the  mother’s  recompense,  to  see  children 
coming  up  useful  in  the  world,  reclaiming  the  lost, 
healing  the  sick,  pitying  the  ignorant,  earnest  and  use- 
ful in  every  sphere.  That  throws  a new  light  back  on 
the  old  family  Bible  whenever  she  reads  it,  and  that 
will  be  ointment  to  soothe  the  aching  limbs  of  decrepi- 
tude, and  light  up  the  closing  hours  of  life’s  day  with 
the  glories  of  an  autumnal  sunset ! 

There  she  sits,  the  old  Christian  mother,  ripe  for 
heaven.  Her  eye-sight  is  almost  gone,  but  the  splen- 
dors of  the  celestial  city  kindle  up  her  vision.  The 
gray  light  of  heaven’s  morn  has  struck  through  the 
gray  locks  which  are  folded  back  over  the  wrinkled 
temples.  She  stoops  very  much  now  under  the  burden 
of  care  she  used  to  carry  for  her  children.  She  sits 
at  home,  too  old  to  find  her  way  to  the  house  of  God; 
but  while  she  sits  there,  all  the  past  comes  back,  and 
the  children  that  forty  years  ago  tripped  around  her 
arm-chair  with  their  griefs,  and  joys,  and  sorrows — 
those  children  are  gone  now.  Some  caught  up  into  a 
better  realm,  where  they  shall  never  die,  and  others 
out  in  the  broad  world,  testing  the  excellency  of  a 
Christian  mother’s  discipline.  Her  last  days  are  full 


776 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH* 


of  peace;  and  calmer  and  sweeter  will  her  spirit  be- 
come, until  the  gates  of  life  shall  lift  and  let  in  the 
worn-out  pilgrim  into  eternal  springtide  and  youth, 
where  the  limbs  never  ache,  and  the  eyes  never  grow 
dim,  and  the  staff  of  the  exhausted  and  decrepit  pilgrim 
shall  become  the  palm  of  the  immortal  athlete. 

There  remains  in  the  faces  of  women  who  are 
naturally  serene  and  peaceful,  and  of  those  rendered  so 
by  religion,  an  after-spring,  and,  later,  an  after-summer, 
the  reflex  of  their  most  beautiful  bloom. 

“Isn’t  Aunt  Charity  a darling  old  lady?  ” said  one 
of  Aunt  Charity’s  nieces. 

She  was,  indeed,  a sunbeam.  The  strong,  resolute, 
brave  face,  the  white  hair  under  the  plain  cap,  the 
sweet,  smiling  mouth,  were  all  winning.  We  could 
depend  on  the  motherly  woman  who  was  so  jolly,  so 
full  of  fun  and  frolic,  so  ready  to  join  in  whatever 
mirth  was  afloat.  Everybody  came  to  her  with  their 
joys  and  their  griefs,  sure  of  sympathy.  An  hour 
with  her  was  a tonic. 

It  is  well  for  the  old  to  be  cheerful.  They  have 
much  to  depress  them.  Health  is  failing.  Friends 
are  passing  away.  Another  generation  is  on  the 
stage.  Other  hands  take  up  the  world’s  work.  They 
feel,  perhaps,  with  a bitter  regret,  that  they  are  not 
needed  as  they  once  were.  Nevertheless,  they  should 
cultivate  every  source  of  happiness  which  remains. 
The  love  of  children  and  grandchildren,  the  greater 
dignity  and  larger  leisure  of  life,  and  the  quiet  hours 
they  can  have  for  communion  with  God,  should  be 
appreciated  highly.  They  should  get  into  the  habit  of 


THE  CROWN  OF  HONOR. 


Ill 


saying  good-morning,  every  day,  to  this  world,  where 
they  have  had  so  many  eager,  busy,  happy  and  holy 
days. 

Some  of  the  planets  finish  their  rotations  in  much 
less  time  than  others.  The  nearer  they  are  to  the  sun 
the  more  speedily  they  revolve.  Mercury,  for  instance, 
is  not  quite  eighty-eight  days  in  accomplishing  his  year, 
while  Saturn  takes  up  considerably  more  than  twenty- 
nine  of  our  years  in  circuiting  the  same  common 
centre.  Thus,  some  of  God’s  converted  people  are 
soon  matured  for  glory  by  their  nearness  to  and  inti- 
mate communion  with  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 
These  are  frequently  known  to  outrun  their  brethren, 
and  (like  John  at  the  tomb  of  our  Lord)  to  reach  the 
sepulchre,  finish  their  course,  and  ascend  to  their  Mas- 
ter’s joy  at  a very  early  period  ; while  other  saints, 
who  do  not  ripen  so  fast,  or  who  have  a larger  field  of 
usefulness  to  occupy  while  on  earth,  are  detained  from 
their  crown  until  they  are  full  of  years  and  good 
works.  Each  of  these  is  gathered  as  a shock  of 
corn  in  its  season.  O believer,  if  thy  God  summon 
thee  away  betimes,  His  Spirit  will  perfect  that  which 
concerneth  thee  ; nor  will  Providence  apply  the  sickle 
until  grace  has  made  thee  white  for  the  harvest.  Or, 
if  He  lengthens  thy  thread,  having  much  for  thee  to 
do,  and  much  to  suffer,  He  will  show  himself  the  God 
of  thy  old  age,  and  not  forsake  thee  when  thou  art 
gray-headecl ; for  He  hath  invariably  declared,  “ Even 
to  your  old  age  I am  He ; and  even  to  hoar  hairs  will 
I carry  you.” 

“ Made  in  the  image  of  God.”  We  cannot  tell 


778 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


what  it  means.  It  is  one  of  those  vast  thoughts  of 
God  we  catch  the  trailing  fringes  of.  It  is  one  of  those 
luminous  heights  of  God’s  thought  up  which  we  gaze, 
and  they  are  summitless  to  us.  But  we  are  to  think 
up  towards  them,  and  every  day  stretch  in  their 
direction. 


©he  Good  Old  Days. 


Old  tunes  are  sweetest  and  old  friends  surest. 

A writer,  comparing  ancient  with  modern  wealth, 
thus  describes  it: 

“ Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  of  Egypt,  amassed  a little 
property,  three  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars. 
Cleopatra  gave  her  lover  a pearl  dissolved  in  vinegar, 
worth  four  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Paulina,  one  of 
the  ton  in  Rome,  wore  jewels,  when  she  returned  her 
visits,  worth  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Cicero, 
who  was  a poor  man,  gave  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  his  house,  and  Claudius  paid  six 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  his  establish- 
ment on  the  Palatine,  while  Massala  gave  two  million 
dollars  for  the  house  on  Antium.  Seneca,  who  was 
just  a plain  philosopher,  was  worth  one  hundred  and 
twenty  million  dollars.  Tiberius  left  a property  of 
nearly  one  hundred  and  twenty  million  dollars. 

“And  these  fellows  lived  well.  Esopus,  who  was 
a play  actor,  paid  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  a 
single  dish.  Caligula  spent  four  hundred  thousand 
dollars  on  a supper.  The  beds  of  Heliogabalus  were 


THE  GOOD  OLD  DAYS. 


779 


of  solid  silver,  his  table  and  plates  were  of  pure  gold, 
and  his  mattresses,  covered  with  carpets  of  cloth-of- 
gold,  were  stuffed  with  down  from  under  the  wing  of 
the  partridge.” 

An  aged  clergyman  writes:  “The  pulpit  is  not 
what  it  was  when  I was  a boy.  Sermons  were  then 
preached  which  I would  give  half  the  little  I possess  to 
hear  again.  Oh,  it  is  sad  to  witness  the  degeneracy 
of  these  latter  days ! ” Much  more  follows  in  the  same 
strain;  but  all  this  is  not  criticism.  Mere  complaining 
and  scolding,  railing  at  the  age,  do  no  good.  Such 
writers  would  spend  their  time  to  much  more  profit, 
were  they  to  analyze  some  representative  sermons  of 
the  past  and  others  of  to-day,  and  show  wherein  this 
superiority  consists.  There  is  a filmy  exaggeration  in 
years  which  plays  tricks  with  our  judgment.  We  do 
not  doubt  but  that  close  analysis  will  prove  that  never 
in  the  history  of  the  church  has  the  average  of  pulpit 
oratory  been  higher  than  it  is  to-day.  The  world  is 
ever  apt  to  complain  of  the  present,  and  look  backward 
for  its  golden  age.  A Grecian  once  overheard  the 
remark,  “This  age  is  degenerate.”  “Yes,”  said  he, 
“that  must  be  true,  for  my  grandfather  told  me  that 
when  he  was  a boy  he  often  heard  his  grandfather  say 
the  same  thing.” 

We  belong  to  that  hopeful  class  who  believe  that 
there  is  more  religion  in  the  world  now  than  at  any 
previous  period.  Undoubtedly  there  are  more  churches 
and  more  professors  of  religion.  There  are  more 
Bibles  printed,  circulated,  and,  as  we  firmly  believe,  read, 
loved,  and  obeyed  than  at  any  other  time  in  the  history 


780 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


of  the  world.  Only  think!  the  precious  word  of  God 
is  now  printed  and  circulated  in  nearly  three  hundred 
of  the  babbling  tongues  of  our  human  race.  And 
this  gift  of  life  is  being  carried  to  all  nations.  One 
reason  that  some  persons  imagine  the  world  to  be  get- 
ting worse  is  found  in  the  fact  that  our  modern  appli- 
ances for  collecting  intelligence  gathers  up  and  pub- 
lishes everything — good  and  bad — that  is  going  on  in 
the  world. 

The  telegraph  and  the  daily  paper  tell  us  every- 
thing. The  world’s  wickedness  as  well  as  its  good- 
ness, is  laid  bare  to  public  inspection.  But  the 
fact  that  we  see  and  hear  more  of  the  wickedness  that 
is  done  is,  in  itself,  no  proof  that  more  is  committed. 

Standing  proudly  among  the  ages  of  the  past,  this 
century  shall  say  to  her  sister  centuries : “ I bring  as  a 
result  of  my  life  work  among  the  nations,  that  grand- 
est of  all  the  products  of  time — a perfect  Christian 
gentleman .” 

The  charm  of  old  books  and  old  songs  is  indescrib- 
able.  They  breathe  the  spirit  of  a bygone  day  that 
none  but  the  one  who  has  lived  amid  those  scenes,  can 
fully  comprehend.  Who  has  not  experienced  the 
pleasure  of  listening  to  an  aged  tongue,  alive  with  an 
eloquence  and  enthusiasm  belonging  to  a past  age,  as 
it  told  of  the  “good  old  days”;  when  we  may  tarry 
beside  an  aged  couple  and  listen  to  the  stories  poured 
forth  with  artless  oratory,  as  they  forget  the  present 
in  the  past  and  again  live  over  the  inspiring  scenes  of 
youth — oh,  then  indeed  we  have  a feast  that  we  are 
senseless  if  we  do  not  enjoy  ! 


TIE 


RESPECT  THE  AGED. 


78l 


A well  known  modern  writer  says  : “Then  the 
summer  mornings  were  full  of  singing-birds,  always 
waiting  outside  our  windows  to  help  us  begin  the  day 
with  happiness.  Then  flowers  were  born  as  if  to 
accompany  the  birds  in  their  benevolent  mission.  Then 
all  our  dreams  were  pleasant  imaginings,  Arabian 
Nights’  Entertainments,  frolic  visions  of  untroubled 
joy.  Then  June  was  the  longest  and  loveliest  month 
in  the  calendar.  Then  we  were  never  depressed  by 
bad  weather.  Then  headache  had  no  lodgment 
nearer  than  our  neighbor’s  brain.  Then  personal 
rheumatism  was  unknown  to  us.  Then  insomnia  had 
not  been  invented,  and  we  were  not  obliged  to  draw 
upon  the  apothecary  for  vials  of  sleep.  Then  we 
could  walk  twenty  miles  a day  without  fatigue.  Then 
all  was  gold  that  glistened.  Then  we  were  young!  ” 


FjESPEGT  THE  jplGED. 

“ Thou  shalt  rise  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and  honor  the  face  of  the  old 
man,  and  fear  thy  God  : I am  the  Lord.” 

This  is  a duty  imposed  alike  by  the  laws  of  God 
and  nature.  Nothing  is  more  sacred  or  binding,  save 
only  the  worship  of  God  alone.  In  Egypt,  to  this  day, 
if  an  aged  person  enter  an  apartment,  the  youth  always 
rise  from  their  seats. 

No  more  beautiful  or  touching  scene  can  be  wit 
nessed  than  that  of  the  quiet,  unobtrusive  veneration  of 
the  young  person  for  one  that  is  aged.  Angels  and  all 


/82  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  JRUTII. 

good  men  look  on  with  approval  when  such  an  one 
puts  away  self  and  self-interest  in  order  to  render 
service  to  one  whom  God  has  spared  to  tread  the 
farther  borders  of  life.  Acts  of  kindness  and  self- 
denial  shown  to  the  old,  even  though  they  are  queru- 
lous and  exacting,  may  be  amongst  the  most  satisfac- 
tory of  a life-time,  and  bring  the  reward  of  an 
approving  conscience  at  least. 

Of  all  forms  of  self-devotion,  the  one  which,  even 
when  it  amounts  to  absolute  sell-sacrifice,  we  can  not 
but  regard  with  very  tender  and  lenient  eyes,  is  the 
devotion  of  the  young  to  the  old,  of  children  to  parents. 
No  doubt  there  is  a boundary  beyond  which  even 
this  ought  not  to  be  permitted ; but  the  remedy 
lies  on  the  elder  side.  There  are  such  things  as 
unworthy,  selfish,  exacting  parents,  to  whom  duty 
must  be  done,  simply  for  the  sake  of  parenthood,  with- 
out regarding  their  personality.  “Honor  thy  father 
and  thy  mother”  is  the  absolute  command,  bounded 
by  no  proviso  as  to  whether  the  parents  are  good  or 
bad.  Of  course  no  one  can  literally  “ honor  ” that 
which  is  bad — still  one  can  respect  the  abstract  bond 
in  having  patience  with  the  individual. 

Age  naturally  awakens  our  respect.  A Greek  his- 
torian tells  how,  in  the  pure  and  early  and  most  virtu- 
ous days  of  the  republic,  if  an  old  man  entered  the 
crowded  assembly,  all  ranks  rose  to  give  room  and 
place  to  him.  Age  throws  such  a character  of  dignity 
even  over  inanimate  objects,  that  the  spectator  regards 
them  with  a sort  of  awe  and  veneration.  We  have 
stood  before  the  hoary  and  ivy-mantled  ruin  of  a by- 


RESPECT  THE  AGED. 


783 


gone  age  with  deeper  feelings  of  respect  than  ever 
touched  us  in  the  marbled  halls  and  amid  the  gilded 
grandeur  of  modern  palaces  ; nor  did  the  proudest 
tree  which  lifted  its  umbrageous  head  and  towering 
form  to  the  skies  ever  affect  us  with  such  strange 
emotion  as  an  old,  withered,  wasted  trunk  that,  though 
hollowed  by  time  into  a gnarled  shell,  still  showed 
some  green  signs  of  life. 

It  was  anciently  a proverb  among  the  heathen,  “It 
is  good  to  be  an  old  man  or  woman  only  in  Sparta.” 
The  ground  of  it  was  the  strict  laws  among  the  Spar- 
tans to  punish  the  rebellion  and  disobedience  of  chil- 
dren to  their  aged  parents.  And  shall  it  not  be  good 
to  be  an  old  father  and  mother  in  this  land,  where  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  is  preached? 

The  Boston  “Traveller,”  in  commenting  on  the  prev- 
alence of  rudeness,  tells  the  following  incident  that  hap- 
pened some  years  ago : There  was  a very  plainly 
dressed  elderly  lady  who  was  a frequent  customer  at 
the  then  leading  dry  goods  store  in  Boston.  No  one 
in  the  store  knew  her  even  by  name.  All  the  clerks 
but  one  avoided  her,  and  gave  their  attention  to  those 
who  were  better  dressed  and  more  pretentious.  The 
exception  was  a young  man  who  had  a conscientious 
regard  for  duty  and  system.  He  never  left  another 
customer  to  wait  on  the  lady,  but  when  at  liberty  he 
waited  on  her  with  as  much  attention  as  if  she  had 
been  a princess.  This  continued  a year  or  two,  until 
the  young  man  became  of  age.  One  morning  the 
lady  approached  the  young  man,  and  the  following 
conversation  took  place  : “ Well,  young  man,  do  you 


7§4 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


wish  to  go  into  business  for  yourself  ?”  “Yes,  ma’am,” 
he  replied ; “ but  I have  neither  money,  credit  nor 
friends,  nor  will  any  one  trust  me.”  “Well,”  con- 
tinued the  lady,  “ you  go  and  select  a good  situa- 
tion, ask  what  the  rent  is,  and  report  to  me,” 
handing  the  young  man  her  address.  The  young 
man  went,  found  a capital  location,  a good  store,  but 
the  landlord  required  security,  which  he  could  not 
give.  Mindful  of  the  lady’s  request,  he  forthwith 
went  to  her  and  reported.  “Well,”  she  replied,  “you 
go  and  tell  Mr.  M.  that  I will  be  responsible.”  He 
went,  and  the  landlord  or  agent  was  surprised,  but  the 
bargain  was  closed.  The  next  day  the  lady  called  to 
ascertain  the  result.  The  young  man  told  her,  but 
added,  “What  am  I to  do  for  goods?  No  one  will 
trust  me.”  “You  may  go  and  see  Mr.  A,  and  Mr.  B, 
and  Mr.  C,  and  tell  them  to  call  on  me.”  He  did, 
and  his  store  was  soon  stocked  with  the  best  goods  in 
market.  There  are  many  in  this  city  who  remember 
the  circumstance,  and  the  man.  He  died  many  years 
ago,  and  left  a fortune  of  three  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars. So  much  for  politeness,  so  much  for  civility,  and 
so  much  for  treating  one’s  elders  with  the  deference 
due  to  age,  in  whatever  garb  they  are  clothed. 

A Russian  princess  of  great  beauty,  in  company  with 
her  father  and  a young  French  marquis,  visited  a cele- 
brated Swiss  doctor  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Michael 
Scuppack,  when  the  marquis  began  to  pass  one  of  his 
jokes  upon  the  long  white  beard  of  one  of  the  doctor’s 
neighbors  who  was  present.  He  offered  to  bet  twelve 
louis  d’ors  that  no  lady  present  would  dare  to  kiss  the 


WELL  EARNED  REST. 


785 


dirty  old  fellow.  The  Russian  princess  ordered  her 
attendant  to  bring  a plate,  and  deposited  twelve  louis 
d’ors  and  sent  it  to  the  marquis,  who  was  too  polite  to 
decline  his  stake.  The  fair  Russian  then  approached 
the  peasant,  saying,  “ Permit  me,  venerable  father,  to 
salute  you  after  the  manner  of  my  country,”  and  em- 
bracing, gave  him  a kiss.  She  then  presented  him  the 
gold  which  was  on  the  plate,  saying,  “ Take  this  as  a 
remembrance  of  me,  and  as  a sign  that  the  Russian 
girls  think  it  their  dutv  to  honor  old  age.” 

ft5ELLi-€AI^NED  I^EST. 

The  stars  shall  fade  away,  the  sun  himself 
Grow  dim  with  age,  and  nature  sink  in  years; 

But  thou  shalt  flourish  in  immortal  youth, 

Unhurt,  amidst  the  war  of  elements, 

The  wreck  of  matter,  and  the  crash  of  worlds ! 

Let  men  talk  pleasantly  of  the  dead,  as  those  who 
no  longer  suffer  and  are  tried — as  those  who  pursue 
no  longer  the  fleeting,  but  have  grasped  and  secured 
the  real.  With  them  the  fear  and  the  longing,  the 
hope  and  the  terror,  and  the  pain  are  past ; — the 
fruition  of  life  has  bernm. 

o 

How  unkind  that,  when  we  put  away  their  bodies, 
we  should  cease  the  utterance  of  their  names.  The 
tender-hearted  who  struggled  so  in  parting  from  us ! 
Why  should  we  speak  of  them  in  awe,  and  remember 
them  only  with  sighing?  Very  dear  were  they  when 
hand  clasped  hand,  and  heart  responded  to  heart. 

Why  are  they  less  dear  when  they  have  grown  worthy 
50 


786 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


a higher  love  than  ours?  By  your  hearth-side,  and  by 
their  grave-side,  in  solitude  and  amid  the  multitude, 
think  cheerfully  and  speak  lovingly  of  the  dead. 

“ As  they  who  to  their  couch  at  night 
Would  welcome  sleep,  first  quench  the  light,” 

so,  to  gain  the  best  views  of  the  heavenly  rest,  it  is 
often  necessary  that  alluring  objects  of  this  life  be  re- 
moved from  our  sight.  Their  obtrusive  glare  shuts 
out  the  objects  beyond. 

When  Samuel  Budgett,  a distinguished  English 
merchant,  was  dying,  he  said;  “Riches  I have  had  as 
much  as  my  heart  could  desire,  but  I never  felt  any 
pleasure  in  them  for  their  own  sake,  only  so  far  as  they 
enabled  me  to  give  pleasure  unto  others.”  This  dying 
confession  of  a rich  man  is  worthy  of  being  noted  and 
remembered  by  every  young  aspirant  after  wealth.  It 
teaches  the  wholesome  truth  that  none  but  the  most 
sordid  natures  can  find  any  pleasure  in  the  mere  pos- 
session of  riches.  No  millionaire  is  happy  merely  be- 
cause he  owns  a million  of  dollars.  Ordinarily,  that 
fact  entails  vexations,  cares  and  duties  which  burden 
and  disgust  him.  But  when  he  uses  money  to  feed 
the  hungry,  clothe  the  naked  and  instruct  the  ignorant, 
and  build  up  the  cause  of  Christ,  it  becomes  a fountain 
of  blessing  to  his  heart. 

“ One’s  age  should  be  tranquil,”  says  Dr.  Arnold, 
“as  one’s  childhood  should  be  playful.  Hard  work, 
at  either  extremity  of  human  existence,  seems  to  me 
out  of  place.  The  morning  and  the  evening  should  be 
alike  cool  and  peaceful ; at  midday  the  sun  may  burn, 
and  men  may  labor  under  it.” 


WELL  EARNED  REST. 


787 


When  Sir  Walter  Scott,  towards  the  close  of  his 
life,  was  congratulated  by  Dr.  Cheney  on  the  purity  of 
his  works  of  fiction,  he  answered,  “I  am  drawing  near 
to  the  close  of  my  career.  I am  fast  shuffling  off  the 
stage.  I have  been  perhaps  the  most  voluminous 
author  of  the  day ; and  it  is  a comfort  to  me  to  think 
that  I have  tried  to  unsettle  no  man’s  faith,  to  corrupt 
no  man’s  principles,  and  that  I have  written  nothing 
which  on  my  deathbed  I should  wish  blotted  out.” 

I cannot  imagine  old  age  to  be  a sad  or  undesira- 
ble thing.  Infirmities  it  may  have — must  have ; but 
they  need  not  be  overwhelming,  if  the  failing  body  has 
been  treated,  and  is  still  treated,  with  that  amount  of 
respect  which  is  its  due.  And  at  worst,  perhaps  bodily 
sufferings  are  not  harder  to  bear  than  the  horrible 
mental  struggles  of  youth,  with  its  selfish  agony  of 
passion  and  pain;  or  than  the  vicarious  sufferings  of 
middle-age,  when  we  groaned  under  the  weight  of 
other  people’s  cares,  mourned  over  sorrows  that  we 
were  utterly  powerless  to  cure,  and  looked  forward 
with  endless  anxiety  into  an  uncertain  future,  not  con- 
sidering how  soon  it  would  become  the  harmless  past. 

Now  all  that  is  over.  The  old  never  grieve  much, 
at  least,  not  overmuch.  Why  should  they?  It  is 
strange  to  notice  how,  even  after  a loss  by  death  that 
a few  years  before  would  have  utterly  crushed  them, 
they  seem  to  rise  up  and  go  on  their  way — only  a few 
steps  more — quietly,  even  cheerfully ; troubling  no 
one,  complaining  to  no  one,  probably  because  it  is 
only  a few  steps  more.  Suffering  itself  grows  calm  in 
the  near  view  of  rest. 


788 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


Thus  it  is  with  people  of  restful  and  patient  mind. 
For  others  there  is  still  something  left.  “I  have  had 
all  I wanted,”  said  to  me  one  of  the  most  unquiet 
spirits  I ever  knew,  keenly  alive  still,  even  under  the 
deadness  of  seventy-odd  years.  “ Life  has  been  a 
long  puzzle  to  me,  but  I am  coming  to  the  end  of  it 
now.  There  is  one  thing  more — I want  to  find  out  the 
great  secret,  and  I shall — before  long.” 

One  can  quite  well  imagine  some  people,  to  whom 
the  after-life  was  neither  a certainty  nor  even  a hope, 
looking  forward  to  death  as  a matter  of  at  least 
curiosity.  But  for  us,  who  believe  that  death  is  the 
gate  of  life,  it  is  quite  a different  feeling.  Putting  it  on 
the  very  lowest  ground,  to  have  all  our  curiosity  grati- 
fied, to  know  even  as  we  are  known,  to  feel  nearer  and 
nearer  to  our  hands  the  key  of  the  eternal  mystery, 
the  satisfying  of  the  infinite  desire;  this  alone  is  conso- 
lation, in  degree,  for  our  own  failing  powers  and  flag- 
ging spirits;  nay,  even  for  the  slowly  emptying  world 
around  us — emptying  of  the  wise  and  the  good,  the 
pleasant  and  the  dear  whom  one  by  one  we  see  pass- 
ing away. 

“If  I could  only  get  rid  of  my  body,  I should  be 
all  right,”  sighed  once  a great  sufferer.  And  there 
are  times  when  even  the  most  patient  of  us  feel  rather 
glad  that  we  do  not  live  forever.  Respect  our  mortal 
tabernacle  as  we  may,  and  treat  it  tenderly,  as  we 
ought  to  do,  we  may  one  day  be  not  so  very  sorry  to 
lay  it  down,  not  only  with  all  its  sins,  but  with  its  often 
infirmities. 


MILESTONES  OF  LIFE. 


789 


(Milestones  op  Lcife. 

As  we  whirl  over  life’s  journey  we  constantly  pass 
those  points,  coming  in  swifter  succession,  which  mark 
the  distance,  not  in  years  but  in  epochs  and  cycles,  so 
to  speak,  as  the  turnpike  between  two  cities  is  divided 
into  miles  by  the  stones  placed  at  proper  distances. 

When  the  summer  day  of  youth  is  slowly  wasting 
away  into  the  nightfall  of  age,  and  the  shadows  of  the 
past  year  grow  deeper  and  deeper  as  life  wears  to  a 
close,  it  is  pleasant  to  look  back  through  the  vistas  of 
time  upon  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  early  years.  If  we 
have  a home  to  shelter,  or  hearts  to  rejoice  with  us, 
and  friends  who  have  been  gathering  around  our  fire- 
side, then  the  rough  places  of  our  wayfaring  will  be 
worn  and  smoothed  away  in  the  twilight  of  life,  while 
the  bright,  sunny  spots  we  have  passed  through  will 
grow  brighter  and  more  beautiful.  Happy,  indeed, 
are  those  whose  intercourse  with  the  world  has  not 
changed  the  course  of  their  holier  feeling,  or  broken 
those  musical  chords  of  the  heart  whose  vibrations  are 
so  melodious,  so  tender  and  so  touching  in  the  evening 
of  age. 

How  strangely  our  ideas  of  growing  old  change  as 
We  get  on  in  life.  To  the  girl  in  her  teens  the  riper 
maiden  of  twenty-five  seems  quite  aged.  Thirty-two 
thinks  thirty-five  an  “old  thing.”  Thirty-five  dreads 
forty,  but  congratulates  herself  that  there  may  still 
remain  some  ground  to  be  possessed  in  the  fifteen 
years  before  the  half  century  is  attained.  But  fifty 


790 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


does  not  by  any  means  give  up  the  battle  of  life.  It 
feels  middle-aged  and  vigorous,  and  thinks  old  age  a 
long  way  in  the  future.  Sixty  remembers  those  who 
have  done  great  things  at  the  three-score;  and  one 
doubts  if  Parr,  when  he  was  married  at  one  hundred 
and  twenty,  had  at  all  begun  to  feel  himself  an  old 
man.  It  is  the  desire  of  life  within  us  which  makes  us 
feel  young  so  long. 

The  discovery  of  a gray  hair  when  you  are  brush- 
ing out  your  whiskers  of  a morning — the  first  fallen 
flake  of  the  coming  snows  of  age — is  a disagreeable 
thing. 

Bishop  Foster  says:  “There  is  a touch  of  pathos 
about  doing  even  the  simplest  things  ‘ for  the  last  time.’ 
It  is  not  alone  kissing  the  dead  that  gives  you  this 
strange  pain.  You  feel  it  when  you  have  looked  for 
the  last  time  on  some  scene  you  have  loved — when 
you  stand  in  some  quiet  city  street  where  you  know 
you  will  never  stand  again.  The  actor  playing  his 
part  for  the  last  time  ; the  singer  whose  voice  is 
cracked  hopelessly,  and  who,  after  this  once,  will  never 
stand  before  the  sea  of  upturned  faces,  disputing  the 
plaudits  with  fresher  voices  and  fairer  forms  ; the  min- 
ister who  has  preached  his  last  sermon — these  all 
know  the  hidden  bitterness  of  the  two  words,  ‘ never 
again.’  We  put  away  our  boyish  toys  with  an  old 
headache.  We  were  too  old  to  talk  of  play  any  longer 
on  our  stilts — too  tall  to  play  marbles  on  the  sidewalk. 
Yet  there  was  a pang  when  we  thought  we  had  played 
with  our  merry  things  for  the  last  time,  and  life’s  seri- 
ous, grown-up  work  was  waiting  for  us.  Now  we  do 


MILESTONES  OF  LIFE. 


791 


not  want  the  lost  toys  back.  Life  has  larger  and  other 
playthings  for  us.  May  it  not  be  that  these,  too,  shall 
seem  in  the  light  of  some  far-off  day  as  the  boyish 
games  seem  to  our  manhood,  and  we  shall  learn  that 
death  is  but  the  opening  of  the  gate  into  the  land  of 
promise.” 

Perhaps,  brother,  the  midnight  is  on  ihy  soul. 
Cherished  plans  in  life  may  all  have  been  thwarted. 
Affliction,  sorrow  in  severest  form  may  have  come 
upon  you.  Can  you  not  believe  that  God  still  exists? 
— that  out  of  these  things  as  well  as  out  of  prosperity 
shall  come  the  highest  good  ? Can  you  not  with  Paul 
and  Silas  pray  in  your  midnight,  and  sing  praises  unto 
God? 

It  is  probably  natural  that  at  the  last,  scenes 
which  have  made  the  strongest  impressions  in  life 
should  be  recalled  by  memory.  The  old  mountaineer, 
when  he  comes  to  die,  with  his  last  whisper  says  his 
“ snowshoes  are  lost;”  with  the  stage-driver  he  is  “on 
the  down-grade  and  cannot  reach  the  brake;”  the 
miner  “cannot  get  to  the  air-pipe;”  the  sailor  says 
“eight  bells  have  sounded;”  and  the  gambler  plays 
his  “last  trump.”  A little  girl  died  a few  years  ago, 
and,  as  her  mother  held  her  wrist  and  noted  the  faint- 
ing and  flickering  pulse,  a smile  came  to  the  wan  face, 
and  the  child  whispered:  “There  is  no  desert  here, 
mamma,  but  all  the  world  is  full  of  beautiful  flowers.” 
A moment  later  the  smile  became  transfixed. 

In  an  Eastern  city,  not  long  ago,  a Sister  of  Charity 
was  dying,  and  at  last  from  a stupor  she  opened  her 
eyes  and  said:  “It  is  strange;  every  kind  word  I have 


792 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


spoken  in  life,  every  tear  that  I have  shed,  has  become 
a living  flower  around  me,  and  they  bring  to  my  senses 
an  incense  ineffable.” 

It  is  the  thought  of  death  that  is  terrible,  not 
death.  Death  is  gentle,  peaceful,  painless;  instead  of 
bringing-  suffering  it  brings  an  end  of  suffering-.  It  is 
misery’s  cure.  Where  death  is,  agony  is  not.  The 
processes  of  death  are  all  friendly.  The  near  aspect 
of  death  is  gracious.  There  is  a picture  somewhere 
of  a tearful  face,  livid  and  ghastly,  which  the  beholder 
gazes  on  with  horror  and  would  turn  away  from  but 
for  the  hideous  fascination,  that  not  only  rivets  his  atten- 
tion, but  draws  him  closer  to  it.  On  approaching  the 
picture  the  hideousness  disappears,  and  when  directly 
confronted  it  is  no  longer  seen;  the  face  is  that  of  an 
angel.  It  is  a picture  of  death,  and  the  object  of  the 
artist  was  to  impress  the  idea  that  terror  of  death  was 
an  apprehension.  Theodore  Parker,  whose  observa- 
tion of  death  was  very  large,  has  said  that  he  never  has 
seen  a person  of  any  belief,  condition  or  experience, 
unwilling  to  die  when  the  time  came.  Death  is  an 
ordinance  of  nature,  is  directed  by  beneficent  ends. 
What  must  be  is  made  welcome. 


Y) AI^YEST  Pj)OME. 

• 

When  the  sowing  and  reaping  are  ended,  then 
comes  the  “Harvest  Home.”  That  we  may  enjoy  the 
harvest  we  must  sow  in  the  spring-time  ; so,  if  we 
would  have  a wise  and  peaceful  old  age,  we  must  in 


HARVEST  HOME. 


793 


earl)  life  fill  our  hearts  and  minds  with  the  truths  that 
produce  a vigorous  manhood. 

We  think  of  death  as  ending  our  life;  let  us  rather 
think  of  it  as  beginning  it.  And  as  it  has  been  said, 
“When  you  think  of  death  whispering,  ‘You  must  go 
from  earth,’  listen,  also,  for  the  voice  of  Christ  saying, 
‘You  are  but  coming  to  me.’  ” 

When  one,  in  the  midst  of  great  usefulness,  after 
years  of  great  and  valuable  experience,  is  called  away, 
we  exclaim,  “ Oh,  it  is  too  bad!  He  was  just  ready  to 
do  so  much  good  ! ” But  does  the  death  of  the  body 
stop  all?  Nay,  God  only  promotes  his  child  to  a greater 
and  a happier  sphere  of  usefulness.  This  experience, 
this  sorrow,  this  self-denial,  all  these  trials  are  needed 
and  will  be  made  use  of  in  Eternity. 

A Christian  in  this  world  is  but  gold  in  the  ore. 
At  death  the  pure  gold  is  melted  out  and  separated, 
and  the  dross  cast  away  and  consumed. 

Let  dissolution  come  when  it  will,  it  can  do  the 
Christian  no  harm,  for  it  will  be  but  a passage  out  of  a 
prison  into  a palace;  out  of  a sea  of  troubles  into  a 
haven  of  rest ; out  of  a crowd  of  enemies  to  an  in- 
numerable company  of  true,  loving  and  faithful  friends  ; 
out  of  shame,  reproach  and  contempt,  into  exceeding 
great  and  eternal  glory. 

A father  was  once  absent  from  home  for  a short 
period,  and,  on  the  day  of  his  return,  his  children 
thought  they  would  prepare  him  little  presents,  one 
from  each;  so  they  went  out  and  gathered  flowers,  and 
each  made  a beautiful  nosegay.  But  one  of  the  chil- 
dren was  an  idiot,  and  he  gathered  sticks  and  ever^ 


794 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


kind  of  worthless  thing  that  he  could  think  of,  and  tied 
them  up  in  a little  bundle  for  his  nosegay.  When  their 
father  came,  the  children  brought  him  their  beautiful 
presents;  but  when  afterwards  this  poor  child’s  bundle 
of  worthless  sticks  was  brought,  do  you  think  the  father 
said,  “Get  out  of  my  sight?”  Did  he  refuse  that 
bundle  of  sticks  and  straws?  No;  he  folded  m his 
arms  both  the  poor  boy  and  his  worthless  nosegay. 
And  so,  friends,  what  you  bring  to  God  may  be  in  his 
eyes  but  sticks  and  straws,  but  he  will  accept  them. 
He  will  redeem  you.  He  will  forgive  you.  He  will 
clothe  you  with  a new  robe.  He  will  welcome  you  to 
the  Father’s  house.  You  do  not  know  what  God  can 
make  of  you,  if  you  will  give  him  a chance.  You  can- 
not see  what  the  Divine  artist  can  make  of  you.  It 
may  be  that  he  can  make  a noble  life  where  there  is 
nothing  now  but  shame. 

Thrice  happy  is  that  man  whose  memory  of  a 
Christian  home  quickens  his  desire  for  a better  in 
“ Our  Father’s  House  ” in  heaven  ! In  such  a case  we 
might  say,  with  a good  old  German  saint  when  about 
to  go  hence,  “ Blessed  are  the  home-sick,  for  they 
shall  see  home  ! ” 

Ye  old  men,  brief  is  the  space  of  life  allotted  to  you  : 
pass  it  as  pleasantly  as  ye  can,  not  grieving  from 
morning  till  eve;  since  time  knows  not  how  to  pre- 
serve our  hopes,  but,  attentive  to  its  own  concerns, 
flies  away. 

There  is  a joy,  greater  than  even  the  joy  of  a 
mother  over  her  first-born,  or  the  exultation  of  a man 
over  the  baby  son  to  whom  he  hopes  to  bequeath  his 


HARVEST  HOME. 


795 


honor,  his  worldly  goods  and  his  unblemished  name ; 
and  that  is,  to  have  arrived  at  old  age  and  seen  this 
child,  from  its  own  day  of  birth  to  its  parents  death- 
day,  living  the  life  they  would  have  it  live,  carrying  ouf 
the  principles  they  taught  it,  and  being  in  every  waj 
what  I have  called  “ the  child  of  heaven,” — God’s  child 
as  well  as  theirs.  Then  all  the  training,  bitter  and 
sweet,  which  they  have  undergone  and  made  their 
child  undergo — for  no  parents  are  worth  the  name 
who  have  not  strength  sometimes  to  wring  their  own 
hearts,  and  their  child’s,  too,  for  a good  end — will  have 
been  softened  down  into  permanent  peace.  A peace  en- 
during even  amid  all  the  trying  weaknesses  of  old  age,, 
all  the  probable  sufferings  of  the  failing  body  and  worn- 
out  mind  ; lasting  even  to  the  supreme  moment,  when 
the  aged,  dying  head  rests  on  the  still  young  breast, 
and  the  child  kisses  the  closed  eyes  which,  through  all 
anxiety,  pain,  even  displeasure,  never  lost  their  look  of 
love — never  till  now.  And  now  it  is  all  ended.  No, 
not  ended — God  forbid  ! 

In  due  time  the  last  trump  shall  sound  and  Christ 
shall  come , but  the  saints  shall  be  with  him.  The 
infinite  providence  has  so  arranged  that  Christ  shall 
not  come  without  his  people,  for  “ them  also  that  sleep 
in  Jesus  shall  God  bring  with  him.”  The  saints  shall 
be  with  him  in  the  advent  as  they  are  now.  Our  souls 
shall  hear  the  shout  of  victory  and  join  in  it;  the  voice 
of  the  archangel  shall  be  actually  heard  by  all  his 
redeemed,  and  the  trump  of  God  shall  be  sounded  in. 
the  hearing  of  every  one  of  his  beloved,  for  we  shall 
be  with  Jesus  all  through  thajt  glorious  transaction. 


796  WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 

Whatever  the  glory  and  splendor  of  that  second 
advent,  we  shall  be  with  Jesus  in  it. 

There  is,  moreover,  to  be  a reign  of  Christ.  I 
cannot  read  the  Scriptures  without  perceiving  that 
there  is  to  be  a millennial  reign,  as  I believe,  upon  the 
earth,  and  that  there  shall  be  new  heavens  and  a new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.  Well,  what- 
ever that  reign  is  to  be,  we  shall  reign  also. 

“ So  come  with  your  sickles,  ye  sons  of  men, 

And  gather  together  the  golden  grain  ; 

Toil  on  till  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  come, 

Then  share  ye  His  joy  in  the  ‘ Harvest  Home.’  ” 

— — 

She  Gi^aye. 

Falling  leaves  are  Nature’s  sermons. 

Our  thoughts  are  ever  more  tending  to  the  grave 
and  its  mysteries ; and  like  our  past  hours  troop  on- 
ward, often  unbidden,  to  the  day  when  we,  too,  shall 
attain  to  the  realm  of  the  unknown. 

Some  of  our  greatest  poems,  indeed,  are  monodies 
and  elegiac  refrains.  Yet  with  the  cheering  Christian 
philosophy  of  Wordsworth,  we  need  not  hang  our 
harps  upon  the  willows  ; for 

Sin-blighted  though  we  are, 

We,  too,  the  reasoning  sons  of  men, 

From  our  oblivious  winter  called, 

Shall  rise  to  breathe  again, 

And  in  eternal  summer 

Lose  our  three-score  years  and  ten ! 

The  soul  has  finished  its  course  in  this  world,  has 
fought  the  fight,  and  kept  its  faith.  Henceforth  it 


THE  GRAVE. 


797 


wears  the  crown  of  immortality ! Man  thyself,  O 
mourner,  and  thou  also  prepare  to  fight  the  good  fight. 
The  loved  one  whom  thou  hast  lost  will  one  day  ad- 
vance to  meet  thee  at  the  gate  of  eternity,  to  greet 
thee  as  a glorified  companion,  and  will  cry  unto  thee : 
Here,  also,  God  is  thy  God ! 

O God ! O Father ! thou  art  also  my  God,  my 
Father  ; why,  then,  should  I be  bowed  down  with  grief? 
Why  weakly  yield  myself  up  before  my  course  is 
finished,  before  I have  fought  the  good  fight  to  the 
end?  Oh,  give  me  strength,  give  me  power!  whatever 
suffering  thou  mayst  impose,  I will  bear  it,  for  it  will 
bring  me  nearer  to  Thee  ! 

A workman  by  accident  dropped  a little,  highly- 
valued  silver  cup  into  a strong  acid  bath.  In  a little 
while  it  had  utterly  disappeared.  But  when  the 
master-workman  came  in  and  learned  of  it,  he  said 
nothing,  but  cast  another  acid  into  the  jar,  and  the 
silver  was  soon  precipitated — a shapeless  mass,  indeed, 
but  every  grain  there.  A few  days  after  it  came  back 
a more  beautiful  cup,  from  the  hands  of  the  silver- 
smith. May  not  God  as  readily  restore  our  bodies 
after  the  decay  and  disorganization  of  the  grave  ? 

Bishop  Whipple  says : “As  I come  nearer  to  the 
grave  my  theology  grows  strangely  simple,  and  it 
begins  and  ends  with  Christ.” 

“ I account  death,”  says  Plutarch,  “ a truly  great 
and  accomplished  good  thing ; the  soul  being  to  live 
there  a real  life,  which  here  lives  not  a waking  life,  but 
suffers  things  most  resembling  dreams.”  Of  all  the 
riches  that  we  hug,  of  all  the  pleasures  we  enjoy,  we 


798 


WELL-SPRINGS  OP  TRUTH. 


can  carry  no  more  out  of  this  world  than  out  of  a 
dream. 

The  best  and  most  useful  of  us  will  soon  be  for- 
gotten. Those  who  to-day  are  filling  a large  place  in 
the  world’s  regard  will  pass  away  from  the  remem- 
brance of  men  in  a few  months,  or  at  the  farthest,  in  a 
few  years  after  the  grave  has  closed  upon  their  re- 
mains. 

We  are  shedding  tears  above  a new-made  grave, 
and  wildly  crying  out  in  our  grief  that  our  loss  is  irre- 
parable, yet,  in  a short  time,  the  tendrils  of  love 
entwine  around  other  supports,  and  we  no  longer  miss 
the  one  who  has  gone. 

A few  more  days,  a few  more  months,  or  at  most  a 
few  more  years,  and  it  will  be  whispered  around  that 
last  night  you  died.  It  will  be  told  how  long  you 
lingered,  or  how  suddenly  you  went.  Small  groups  of 
friends  will  go  and  gaze  at  you.  They  will  remark 
how  cold  you  are,  and  how  natural  you  look.  Some 
will  inspect  your  shroud  and  discuss  your  coffin,  while 
even  your  enemies  will  forgive  you  and  hope  you  have 
gone  to  a better  world.  Are  you  ready  for  this  ? In 
that  final  contest  with  death  there  may  be  neither  time 
nor  opportunity  for  the  preparation  that  we  are  given 
a life-time  to  make.  The  wiser  course,  the  safer 
course,  is  to  get  ready  while  blessed  with  health  and 
strength,  both  of  body  and  mind. 

Some  one  will  see  to  your  shroud  ; some  one  will 
go  for  your  coffin,  and  some  one  will  doubtless  put 
crape  on  the  door  whether  you  give  any  directions  or 
not.  It  may  not  matter  much  if  these  things  are  not 


THE  GRAVE. 


799 


done  exacdy  as  you  wish.  No  one  will  see  to  your 
soul.  No  one  will  look  after  your  eternal  interests. 
There  is  no  repentance  beyond  the  grave.  In  this 
short  probationary  existence  you  had  just  one  thing 
to  do,  and  that  was  to  prepare  for  the  life  to  come. 
If  you  are  not  ready,  think  of  yourself  lying  cold  in 
death. 

As  the  clods  fall  upon  the  coffin,  and  that  taber- 
nacle of  flesh  is  buried  from  thy  sight,  raise  thine 
eyes  to  heaven,  and  let  the  vows  of  thy  heart  be  made 
before  God,  that  thy  life  shall  be  such,  the  Lord  help- 
ing thee,  as  shall  please  thy  Maker  and  prove  the 
sincerity  of  thy  resolutions  to  save  thy  soul.  Nor 
suffer  the  natural  sensitiveness  of  thy  poor  human 
nature  to  keep  thee  from  manifesting  thy  Godly  sor- 
row, which  worketh  unto  salvation ; but  overcome  thy 
timidity  and  proclaim  by  thy  changed  conduct  and  the 
humility  and  piety  of  thy  conversation,  that  thou  art 
truly  converted  in  all  thy  ways.  Seek  not  to  throw  off 
this  blessed  influence,  nor  cast  aside  the  tender  spirit 
enkindled  at  the  side  of  the  grave  as  though  it  were  a 
burden  ; cherish  it  as  the  most  precious  gift  of  a loving 
Father  and  a wise  counselor,  who  well  knows  the  needs 
of  thy  case  and  tempers  the  winds  to  the  shorn  lamb, 
and  suffers  not  one  sparrow  to  fall  unnoticed.  He  will 
give  thee  a peace  which  thou  hast  never  known  and 
joys  which  thou  hast  never  dreamed  of,  if  thou  wilt 
trust  him  and  be  led  by  his  spirit. 

Tenderly  we  laty  the  poor  mortal  frame  away,  and 
robe  it  with  the  garments  which  love  dictates,  and 
cover  it  from  our  sight.  Oh  that  we  could  pierce  the 


Soo 


WELL-SPRINGS  OF  TRUTH. 


realms  of  that  spirit  world  and  follow  our  loved  ones 
to  that  abode  ! Oh  that  we  could  pour  forth  the  feeble 
yet  impassioned  words  of  our  regret  and  remorse,  and 
be  assured  of  the  forgiveness,  the  love,  and  the  tender 
compassion  of  that  departed  one ! The  blinding  tears, 
the  choking  sob,  the  stifled  groan  give  no  relief,  and 
time,  the  reputed  healer  of  all  human  woes,  can  but 
deaden  the  pain,  the  agony,  the  heart-breaking  sorrow, 
which  now  possesses  our  souls. 

Dear  mourner,  while  thy  breast  is  thus  rent  with 
pain,  and  remorse  seems  to  have  driven  all  joy  from  thy 
life,  turn  the  eyes  of  thy  soul  to  Him  who  wept  at  the 
grave  of  Lazarus,  and  who  suffered  as  you  now  suffer; 
and  whose  heart  is  still  the  same  warm,  tender  heart 
that  it  was  then ; and  who  longs  to  bring  peace  to 
thy  life,  as  the  sunshine  comes  to  the  world,  so  that 
it  shall  pervade  thy  whole  being,  and  satisfy  all  thy  long- 
ings. He  it  is  that  has  promised  thee  to  restore  again 
thy  loved  one  to  thy  sight  and  raise  up  that  body, 
now  hidden  from  thee,  and  make  thee  to  rejoice  as 
never  before.  Trust  him,  love  him,  serve  him!  Put 
away  thy  doubtings ; assert  thy  power  of  will  in  coming 
to  Him,  and  leaving  all  with  Him;  prove  the  verity  of 
thy  trust  by  a newness  of  life  and  by  resolutely  doing 
each  day  all  thy  duty. 

Finally,  thou  shalt  near  thine  own  grave,  and  Oh  ! 
what  joy  canst  thou  have  in  finally  contemplating  the 
rapidly  approaching  event  which  shall  give  thee  sur- 
cease from  all  thy  distresses.  Hov?  ought  thy  face  to 
shine  and  thine  heart  to  rejoice  in  view  of  the  blessed- 
ness of  that  reunion  with  friends;  but  above  all,  and 


THE  GRAVE. 


801 


beyond  all,  of  reunion  with  that  Friend  of  friends  who 
has  trodden  the  way  to  the  grave  before  thee,  and  has 
also  proven  the  verity  and  reality  of  the  resurrection 
promise. 


“ So  live,  that  when  thy  summons  comes,  to  join 
The  innumerable  caravan  that  moves 
To  the  pale  realms  of  shade,  where  each  shall  take 
His  chamber  in  the  silent  halls  of  death, 

Thou  go,  not  like  the  quarry-slave  at  night. 
Scourged  to  his  dungeon,  but  sustain'd  and  soothed 
By  an  unfaltering  trust,  approach  thy  grave, 

Like  one  who  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch 
About  him,  and  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams  1 ” 


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30.  The  Life  and  Times  of  Jefferson 
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32.  The  Life  and  Voyages  of  Capt.  Cook. 

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33.  The  Lives  of  Men  Who  Have  Risen, 

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Price,  $1.75. 

35.  The  Life  of  David  Livingstone, 

Price,  $2.50. 


2 


SOUTHWESTERN  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 


36.  The  History  of  Palestine.  By  Dr. 
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38.  Madagascar.  History  and  present 
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39.  Thrilling  Adventures  Among  the 
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40.  Thrilling  Adventures  Among  the 
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41.  Homer’s  Illiad.  Notes  and  Com- 
mentary. Standard  translation. 
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42.  Tapper’s  Proverbial  Philosophy.  A 

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From  the  earliest  age  to  the  present. 
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47.  The  Life  of  Christ.  The  standard. 
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48.  The  Pilgrim’s  Progress.  By  John 

Bunyan,  the  immortal  dreamer. 
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49.  The  Family  Doctor.  Illustrated. 
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52.  The  World  in  a Pocket-Book.  Uni- 
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53.  Female  Life  Among  the  Mormons. 

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54.  The  Wreath  of  Gems.  A handsome 
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55.  Steps’  Towards  Heaven ; or,  Relig- 
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60.  The  Christian’s  Gift  A choice  se- 
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05.  The  Poetical  Works  of  Tlios.  Moore. 

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66.  Letters  to  Young  Ladies.  By  Han- 
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67.  Heart’s  Ease.  Choice  and  beauti- 
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78.  Potter’s  Popular  Encyclopedia  of 
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Thousands  of  topics  introduced.  The 
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CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 


3 


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79.  Famous  Frontiersmen.  The  pio- 
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of  the  heroes  of  our  border  wars. 
Price,  $2.50. 

80.  Charles  Dickens  Complete  Works. 
In  one  set 'd  15  vols.  Illustrated — 


t 


gilt-edge.  Price,  $22.50. 

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82.  The  Waverly  Novels.  Large  type. 
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83.  Macauley’s  History  of  England.  A 

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“ Odyssey, 
Ingelow, 

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(South  America.)  Price,  $1.00. 


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166.  Farming.  For  boys.  Price,  $1.25. 

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170.  Henry  Wilson,  Statesman,  Vice- 
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171.  Illustrated  Science.  For  boys  and 
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172.  Horace  Greeley,  The  Biography  of. 
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176.  Benjamin  Franklin,  The  Biogra- 
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174.  Knowledge  is  Power.  Entertaining 
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175.  Lily’s  Travels — Through  France  to 
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183.  On  the  Seas.  A story  for  boys. 
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186.  Tropics,  The.  Life  in  tropical  re- 
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187.  Warlock  O’Glenwarlock.  Bv  Geo. 
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188.  Weighed  and  Wanting.  By  George 
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189.  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  or  the 
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190.  The  Royal  Road  to  Wealth.  How 
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192.  Three  Years  in  a Man-Trap.  A cel- 
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193.  Stanley’s  Adventures  in  Africa. 
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194.  Cast  Adrift.  A book  to  lead  all  who 
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195.  Danger.  A thrilling  story  of  so- 
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196.  Woman  to  the  Rescue.  A story  of 
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197.  Saved  as  by  Fire.  Price,  $1.50. 

198.  Grappling  With  the  Monster. 
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201.  Horse  Taming.  The  secret  art  of 
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202.  Life  in  London.  Price,  $1.00. 

203.  Farming  for  Profit;  or,  How  to 
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204.  Our  Western  Border  One  Hundred 
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205.  The  Illustrated  Universal  History. 
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206.  Ireland  of  To-day.  The  causes  of 
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207.  Golden  Sheaves,  Gathered  from  An- 
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208.  Social  Life.  The  latest  and  best 
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courtship,  and  marriage.  Handsome- 
ly illustrated.  Price,  $2.50. 

209.  The  Gospel  History.  By  Dr.  Lyman 
Abbott,  and  300  other  authors.  The 
most  fascinating  Gospel  narrative 
ever  written.  3000  marginal  referen- 
ces, etc.  Price,  $1.75. 

210.  Ploughed  Under.  The  story  of  an 
Indian  chief.  It  should  be  read  by 
every  kind-hearted  man,  woman, 


CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 


5 


and  child  in  the  land.  Price,  $1.00. 

211.  Bible  Heroines.  A beautiful  gift- 
book.  Lives  of  Bible  women.  Ele- 
gantly illustrated  in  oil  colors,  with 
copies  of  famous  paintings.  Royal 
8 vo.  Price.  $3.25. 

212.  Sliakspeare  for  Young  Folk.  Chaste, 
pure,  elegant.  Richly  illustrated. 
Price,  $2.75. 

213.  Queer  Little  People.  A handsome 
ana  attractive  quarto  for  young  peo- 
ple. Finely  illustrated.  Price,  $1.25. 

214.  The  World’s  Laconics ; or,  The  Best 
Thoughts  of  the  Best  Authors.  Price, 
$1 .00. 

215.  History  and  Repository  of  Pulpit 
Eloquence.  Indispensable  for  young 
preachers.  Price,  $3.00. 

216.  Pulpit  Eloquence  of  the  Nineteenth 
Century.  A companion  book  to  the 
above.  Price,  $3.00. 

217.  Sunlight  through  the  Mist.  Les- 
sons from  the  lives  of  great  and  good 
men.  Price,  75  cents. 

218.  Encyclopedia  of  Business  and  Social 
Forms.  The  etiquette  of  good  soci- 
ety ; how  to  dress  well  and  appear  to 
good  advantage  on  all  occasions ; how 
to  write  for  the  press,  etc.  The  latest 
and  best  work  of  the  kind  ever  is- 
sued from  the  American  press.  The 
book  is  a complete  treasury  of  the 
most  useful  and  practical  information 
upon  subjects  that  are  constantly 
arising  in  the  daily  life  of  every  one. 
Beautifully  illustrated.  A large  and 
handsome  book.  Prices,  cloth,  $5.00 ; 
morocco,  $6.50. 

219.  Polygamy,  Or  the  Mysteries  and 
Crimes  of  Mormouism.  A complete 
exposition  of  the  evils  of  this  awful 
crime  against  humanity.  The  great- 

. est  work  ever  written  on  this  subject. 
Prices,  cloth,  $2.75 ; library,  $3.25. 

220.  0.  S.  Fowler’s  Great  Work  on  Phre- 
nology. Over  1200  pages,  over  200 
tine  engravings,  in  one  large  royal 
8vo.  book.  Prices,  cloth,  $3.75  ; libra- 
ry, $4.50. 

221.  O.  S.  Fowler’s  Great  YVork  on  Sex- 
ual Science.  This  work  tells  how 
to  choose  a husband  or  wife,  and 
how  to  increase  the  joys  of  wedded 
life.  The  most  celebrated  and  valu- 
able book  of  the  kind  ever  published. 
Over  one  thousand  pages.  Profusely 
illustrated.  Prices,  cloth,  $3.75;  li- 
brary, $4.50. 

222.  The  Life  and  YVork  of  James  A. 
Garfield.  By  Dr.  Ridpath,  the  cele- 
brated historian.  The  most  authen- 
tic, complete,  and  impartial  of  all  the 
biographies  of  this  great  man.  Pro- 


fusely7 illustrated.  Prices,  cloth, $2.50; 
half-morocco,  $3.00. 

1 223.  Physical  Life  of  Both  Sexes. 

Knowledge  that  all  should  possess 
who  contemplate  marriage.  Prices, 
cloth,  $2.00 ; half-morocco,  $2.50. 

224.  Cross  and  Crown.  A celebrated 
book,  by  James  D.  McCabe.  Full  of 
comforting  passages  and  melting 
narratives.  Steel-plate  illustrations. 
Prices,  cloth,  $3.00;  morocco,  $4.50. 

225.  Western  YVilds,  And  the  Men  Who 
Redeem  Them.  By  J.  H.  Beadle. 
Illustrated  with  127  beautiful  engrav- 
ings. Full  of  thrilling  tales  of  ad- 
venture. Prices,  cloth,  $3.00 ; half- 
moroco,  $3.50. 

226.  Smith’s  Dictionary  of  the  Bible. 

Over  500  illustrations ; together  with 
Cruden’s  complete  concordance.  The 
standard  work  of  the  world.  Price, 
$3.25. 

227.  Photograph  Albums.  Guaranteed 
to  be  the  most  substantial  and  cheap- 
est the  American  market  affords. 
One  that  holds  10  cabinet  and  68 
card  sizes,  price,  $4.50;  one  that 
holds  20  cabinet  and  40  card  sizes, 
price,  $5.50  ; one  that  holds  20  cabi- 
net, 4 panels,  and  64  cards,  price, 
$6.40. 

228.  The  Arabian  Nights  Entertain- 
ments. Beautifully  illustrated.  A 
most  popular  book,  containing  the 
stories  of  “Aladdin  and  his  Wonder- 
ful Lamp ; ” “Ala  Baba  and  the  Forty 
Thieves ;”  “ Sinbad,  the  Sailor,”  etc. 
A standard  child’s  book.  Price — 
cloth,  $1.60;  gilt,  $1.90. 

229.  Clarke’s  Commentary.  By  Dr.  Adam 
Clarke.  The  standard  commentary 
on  the  New  Testament.  Prices,  cloth, 
$5.50;  library,  $6.25. 

230.  The  Bible  Hand-Book.  The  latest 

and  most  complete.  For  use  of  the 
bible  reader,  student,  teacher,  and 
preacher.  Price,  cloth,  $3.75. 

231.  The  World  Edition  of  Dickens. 
Complete  works  of  the  immortal 
novelist.  7 vols.  Price,  $12.25. 

232.  The  World  Edition  of  Waverly 
Novels.  Sir  Walter  Scott’s  historical 
tales.  12  vols.  Price,  $18.00. 

233.  A Popular  Life  of  Gen.  Robt.  E.  Lee. 
The  history  of  a great  and  good  man. 
The  best  written  and  most  attractive 
life  of  General  Lee  ever  published. 
Beautifully  illustrated.  Price,  $3.00. 

234.  Discovery  and  Conquest  of  the 
Northwest.  A most  complete  and 
charming  book  of  early  pioneer  life 
on  the  great  prairies  of  Illinois,  Wis- 


SOUTHWESTERN  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 


consin,  Iowa  and  Minnesota.  Hand- 
somely illustrated.  Price,  $3.50. 

235.  Pictorial  History  of  the  Bible.  By 
Dr.  William  Smith,  author  of  the 
most  celebrated  Bible  dictionary  in 
the  world.  Royal  8vo;  1105  pages; 
over  250  fine  engravings  and  maps. 
Prices,  cloth,  $3.00  ; library,  $3.50. 

236.  Pictorial  Child’s  Bible.  A consec- 
utive narrative  of  the  events  of  the 
Bible,  or  “story  of  the  Bible”  in  sim- 
ple language.  Nearly  1000  quarto 
pages;  over  280  fine  engravings. 
Prices,  cloth,  $5.00  ; gilt,  $6.50. 

237.  The  Light  in  the  East.  A popular 
and  comprehensive  volume,  describ- 
ing life  and  scenes  of  Jesus  and  his 
Apostles  and  the  Holy  Land.  A 
compendium  of  religious  knowledge. 
By  Dr.  John  Fleetwood.  Nearly  1000 
royal  8vo.  pages.  Profusely  illustrat- 
ed. Prices,  cloth,  $3.00;  library, 
$3.50. 

238.  Grant’s  Tour  Around  the  World. 

The  most  celebrated  book  of 'travel 
of  modern  times.  Profusely  illus- 
trated. Prices,  cloth,  $3.00;  library, 
$3.50. 

239.  Pictorial  History  of  the  Great  Civil 

War.  “This  is  the  most  wonderful 
narrative  ever  penned.”  Written 
latest  of  all  the  histories,  it  is  totally 
unbiased  and  fair  to  both  sides.  “ It 
is  a story  that  should  always  remain 
fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  American 
people,  and  should  be  transmitted  by 
them  to  future  generations.”  Prices, 
cloth,  $5.00  ; library;  $6.00 ; morocco, 
$7.00. 

240.  Popular  History  of  the  United 
States.  By  Alexander  H.  Stephens. 
The  most  complete  work  of  the  kind 
ever  issued.  Prices,  cloth,  $6.00 ; li- 
brary, $7.00 ; morocco,  $7.50. 

241  Pictorial  History  of  the  United 
States.  By  James  D.  McCabe.  This 
is  not  so  much  of  a political  work  as 
Stephens’  book.  It  dwells  more  on 
the  domestic  life  of  the  people.  Both 
books  are  standard  works,  and  by  far 
the  most  authentic  and  accurate  of 
any  upon  this  subject.  Prices,  cloth, 
$3.00;  library,  $3.50  ; morocco,  $4.00. 

242.  The  Pictorial  History  of  the  World. 
A full  and  authentic  account  of  every 
nation  and  country  of  ancient  and 
modern  times.  By  James  D.  McCabe. 
The  finest  work  extant.  Prices, 
cloth,  $5.00 ; library,  $6.00 ; morocco, 
$7.50. 

243.  The  National  Hand-Book  of  Ameri- 
can Progress.  A reference  manual 
of  facts  and  figures,  from  the  discov- 


ery of  America  to  the  present  time. 
By  Dr.  Plaven.  It  is  such  a book  as 
the  student  and  politician  needs  for 
constant  and  daily  reference.  It  is 
fully  non-partisan,  and  perfectly  reli- 
able and  accurate.  Price,  cloth,  $2.00. 

244.  Mother,  Home  and  Heaven.  A cel- 
ebrated book.  Full  of  beautiful  gems 
of  prose  and  poetry.  Each  article  by 
a celebrated  author,  400  in  number. 
Illustrated  with  steel  and  wood  en- 
gravings. Latest  edition.  Prices, 
cloth,  plain  edge,  $2.75 ; cloth,  gilt, 
$3.50  ; morocco,  gilt,  $5.00. 

245.  Foster’s  Cyclopedia  of  Illustration. 
4 vols.  These  large  volumes  are  the 
most  complete  and  useful  collections 
of  anecdote,  incident,  quotations  and 
illustrations,  ever  made.  Thousands 
upon  thousands  of  extracts  are  given. 
They  are  especially  useful  to  the 
preacher.  Two  vols.  are  in  prose 
and  two  in  poetry.  Sold  separately. 
Price,  per  vol.,  $7.50. 

246.  Rawlinson’s  History  of  Ancient 
Egypt.  A standard  work  of  great 
interest,  and  very  instructive.  Two 
vols.  Price,  $7.50. 

247.  Conybeare  and  Howson’s  Life  and 
Epistles  of  St.  Paul.  The  only  pop 
ular  and  complete  work  ever  written 
Maps  and  illustrations.  Price,  $1.90. 

248.  The  Bible  Commentary.  A critical 
and  explanatory  exposition  of  the 
Bible.  By  Jamieson,  Fausset  and 
Brown.  New  edition.  Illustrated 
with  maps.  Price,  $6.00. 

249.  Christ  in  Literature.  The  words 
and  acts  of  Jesus.  Over  500  illus- 
trations. Extracts  from  over  500  of 
the  greatest  writers  of  the  world. 
By  Dr.  Edward  Eggleston.  Price, 
cloth,  $3.00. 

250.  The  Life  of  the  Great  Preacher- 

Rev.  George  Whitefield,  the  prince  of 
pulpit  orators.  Profusely  illustrated. 
Price,  in  fine  cloth  binding,  $2.00. 

251.  Robinson  Crusoe.  Complete — illus- 
trated. Price,  $1.00. 

252.  The  Swiss  Family  Robinson.  Illus- 
trated. Price,  $1.00. 

253.  The  Scottish  Chiefs.  By  Jane  Por- 
ter. Price,  $1.00. 

254.  Thaddeus  of  Warsaw.  By  Jane 

Porter.  Price,  $1.00. 

255.  The  Children  of  the  Abbey.  A tale. 
Price,  $1.00. 

256.  Hans  Andersen’s  Fairy  Tales.  Illus- 
trated. Price,  $1.00. 

257.  The  Vicar  of  Wakefield.  Goldsmith, 
Price,  $1.00. 

258.  Gulliver’s  Travels.  Dean  Smith, 
Illustrated.  Price,  $1.00. 


CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 


7 


259.  Gil  Bias — A Celebrated  Tale.  Price, 
$1.00. 

260.  Don  Quixote.  By  Servantes.  Price, 
$1.00. 

261.  Bible  Stories  for  Young  Children. 

Price,  $1.00. 

362.  Literature  of  Kissing.  Gleanings. 
Price,  $1.50. 

263.  Heroines  of  English  Poetry.  Illus- 
trated— quarto.  Price,  $5.00. 

264.  Hyways  and  Byways  of  American 
Travel.  Price,  $2.00. 

265.  World  of  Anecdote.  Popular,  re- 
ligious, scientific.  Price,  $o.00. 

266.  Ladies  Guide  to  Gentility  and  True 
Politeness.  Price,  $1.00. 

267.  Many  Lands  and  Many  People— The 
world  over.  Price,  $2.50. 

268.  Wanderings  in  Four  Continents. 
Price,  $3.00. 

269.  Famous  Fairy  Tales  — Easy  words. 
Price,  $2.00. 

270.  Our  Young  Folks  Abroad — All  over 
Europe.  Price,  $1.75. 

271.  Mother  Goose’s  Melodies.  Illustrat- 
ed. Price,  50  cents. 

272.  Spanish  Fairy  Tales.  Price,  $1.25. 

273.  Courtship  and  Matrimony.  A book 
of  interest  to  young  people.  By 
Bobert  Morris.  Price,  $1.50. 

274.  The  Bohemians  in  London.  By  one 
of  their  number.  A thrilling  tale. 
Price,  $1.75. 

275.  The  Ladies’  Work  - Table  Book. 

Finely  illustrated.  Very  useful  to 
every  lady  who  values  a beautiful 
home.  A neat  gift-book.  Price,  $1.00. 

276.  The  Life  and  Times  of  Schuyler 
Colfax — the  Statesman.  Price,  $1.50. 

2fr.  Six  Nights  With  the  Washingtonians. 
The  latest  and  greatest  of  T.  S.  Ar- 
thur’s books.  Price,  $3.50. 

278.  Bingley’s  Animal  Kingdom.  A 
graphic  description  of  the  habits  and 
peculiarities  of  nearly  every  species 
of  bird,  beast,  fish,  insect,  reptile, 
and  mollusk.  Over  1000  engravings. 
1,122  pages.  Price,  cloth,  $4.50. 

279.  Goodrich’s  History  of  the  Sea.  A 
fascinating  narrative  of  adventure 
and  discovery  on  the  ocean,  from  the 
days  of  Noah  to  the  present  time. 
Profusely  illustrated.  Price  in  cloth, 
$4.50. 

280.  Bible  Stories  for  Young  Children. 

By  Caroline  Hadley.  Illustrated. 
Price,  $1.00. 

281.  The  American  Farmer.  A hand- 
book of  agriculture  for  the  farm  and 
garden.  Nearly  400  engravings,  and 
16  full  page  illustrations.  Large  royal 
octavo.  Price,  leather,  $4.50. 


282.  The  Gospel  Awakening.  Comprising 

150  sermons  and  addresses,  prayer- 
meeting  talks,  Bible  readings  and 
prayers,  of  the  great  revival  meetings 
conducted  by  Moody  and  Sankey. 
Sketches  of  the  lives  of  Moody,  San- 
key, Bliss,  Major  Whittle,  and  others. 
Illustrated.  Octavo.  Over  1000  pages. 
Price,  leather,  $3.25. 

283.  American  Orators  and  Oratory. 

Nearly  100  biographies  and  portraits. 
Gems  of  American  oratory.  Ex- 
tracts from  celebrated  political 
speeches  from  the  earliest  period  of 
American  history  to  the  present  time. 
Indispensable  for  progressive  and 
ambitious  young  men.  Price,  libra- 
ry style,  $7.00. 

284.  The  Physiology  of  Children.  Their 
mental  and  physical  culture.  A prac- 
tical hand-book  for  parents,  teachers, 
and  nurses.  A treatise  on  the  laws 
of  health  and  the  prevention  of  dis- 
ease. Price,  English  cloth,  $1.50. 

285.  The  Beady  Lawyer.  The  business 
man’s,  farmer’s,  mechanic’s,  miner’s 
and  settler’s  legal  adviser ; giving 
the  statutory,  common,  and  business 
laws  of  every  State  in  the  Union  and 
of  Canada.  Also  parliamentary  laws, 
and  forms  of  law  practice  before  the 
courts,  etc.  By  a lawyer  of  27  years 
practice.  Price,  library,  $5.75. 

2S6.  Life  and  Labors  of  Charles  H.  Spur- 
geon— the  great  London  preacher. 
The  greatest  preacher  that  ever  lived. 
The  most  complete  biography  yet 
produced.  Elegantly  illustrated. 
Price,  cloth,  $4.00. 

287.  Song  Pilgrimage  Around  and 
Throughout  the  World.  By  Philip 
Philips.  Introduction  by  Dr.  Vin- 
cent. The  life  and  labors  of  the 
greatest  singer  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth.  Profusely  illustrated.  Price, 
cloth,  gilt  edges,  $2.50. 

288.  The  Masque  Torn  Off.  By  Dr.  T. 
DeWitt  Talmage.  This  book  de- 
scribes the  sins  and  abominations  of 
high  life  and  low  life  in  modern 
times.  The  series  of  sermons  preached 
by  Dr.  Talmage  attracted  great  at- 
tention at  the  time,  and  caused  a 
greater  sensation  than  anything  else 

in  modern  times.  Elegantly  illus- 
trated. Price,  cloth,  gilt  edges,  $2.50. 

289.  Abbott’s  Illustrated  New  Testament. 
The  most  complete  work  yet  issued. 
It  is  a complete  cyclopedia  of  New 
Testament  knowledge.  Children  be- 
come greatly  interested  in  it.  Price, 
cloth,  $2.00. 


8 


SOUTHWESTERN  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 


290.  Times  of  Refreshing-.  A complete 
history  of  American  revivals  for  the 
past  140  years,  with  personal  sketch- 
es, narratives  and  incidents.  Illus- 
trated with  portraits  of  the  leading 
revivalists.  Bv  Dr.  Thompson.  Price, 
*2.00. 

291.  Traps  for  Men.  By  Dr.  Talmage. 
Price,  50  cents. 

292.  The  True  Path.  A history  of  the 
Woman’s  Christian  Temperance  Un- 
ion, and  lives  of  eminent  temperance 
workers.  The  latest  and  best  work 
on  prohibition.  Illustrated.  700 
pages.  Price,  *2.00. 

293.  Oriental  and  Western  Siberia. 
Illustrated.  Price,  $1.75. 

294.  History  of  the  Crusades.  A thrill- 
ing narrative  of  the  expeditions  for  the 
recovery  of  the  Holy  Land.  Over  150 
Illustrations.  Price,  $1.75. 

295.  Success  in  Business ; or  Money,  and 
How  to  Make  It.  Complete  and 
Practical.  Price,  $2.75. 

296.  Heroes  and  Statesmen  of  America. 
The  greatest  men  of  our  country, 
from  the  earliest  days  to  the  present, 
without  respect  to  political  belief  or 
sectional  associations.  Beautifully 
illustrated  by  the  best  American  ar- 
tists. Price,  $2.50. 

297.  World-Famous  Women..  Types  of 
female  heroism,  beauty,  and  influ- 
ence, from  the  earliest  ages  to  the 
present  time.  Magnificently  illus- 
trated. Price,  $3.00. 

4^*  '1  he  following  hooks  are  fullg  il- 
lustrated, and  are  standard  works  hy 

famous  authors  : 

298.  The  Life  of  Benjamin  Franklin 

Price,  $1.00. 

299.  Five  Years  Before  the  Mast.  Price, 
$1.00. 

300.  The  White  Elephant.  Price,  $1.00. 

301.  The  War  Tiger.  Price,  $1.00. 

802.  The  Wolf  Boy  in  China.  Price, 

$1.00. 

303.  The  Tiger  Prince.  Price,  $1.00. 

304.  Lady  of  the  Lake.  Price,  $1.00. 

305.  Lalla  Rookli.  Price,  $1.00. 

306.  The  Adventures  of  Rob  Roy.  Price, 
$1.00. 

307.  Clayton’s  Rangers.  Price,  $1.00. 

308.  Advice  to  a Wife.  Price,  $1.00. 

309.  Advice  and  Counsel  to  a Mother. 

Price,  $1.00. 

310.  Child’s  History  of  England.  Price, 
$1.00. 

311.  Baron  Munchausen.  Price,  $1.00. 

312.  jEsop’s  Fables.  Price,  $1.00. 


313.  The  Last  Bays  of  Pompeii.  Price, 
$1.00. 

314.  Ivanlioe.  Price,  $1.00. 

3L5.  Waverly.  Price,  $1.00. 

316.  Guy  Mannering.  Price,  $1.00. 

317.  Standard  Fairy  Tales.  Price,  $1.00. 

4\|2l<  The  following  hooks  are  sold  hy 
subscription  only.  But  to  accommodate 
those  who  have  failed  to  see  our  Agents, 
we  ic  ill  furnish  the  hooks  hy  mail,  pos- 
tage added,  at  retail  prices.  This  is  a 
much  more  expensive  way  than  to  huy 
direct  from  our  Agents,  and  we  will  not 
furnish  these  hooks  when  ice  have  an 
Agent  in  your  county , except  through  his 
hands: 

318.  Drifting.  A tale  true  to  life.  It 
describes  manners  and  customs  of 
the  middle  classes  of  Western  and 
Southwestern  communities  in  this 
country.  Fully  illustrated  with  over 
50  engravings.  The  only  illustrated, 
copyrighted  novel  published  in  the 
South.  Prices, cloth,  $2. 00;  morocco, 
red  edges,  $3.00.  Postage,  18  cents. 

319.  Museum  of  Antiquity.  A descrip- 
tion of  ancient  life.  The  most  com- 
plete work  of  the  kind  ever  issued. 
Illustrated  with  large  numbers  of 
fine  engravings  on  wood  and  steel. 
It  closes  with  an  article  on  “The 
Truths  of  the  Bible,”  acknowledged 
to  be  a masterly  production  and  irre- 
futable argument.  Prices,  cloth, 
$4.50;  half  morocco,  $5.50;  full  mo- 
rocco and  gilt  edges,  $7.50.  Postage, 
45 

320.  The  Royal  Path  of  Life.  The  most 

successful  book  of  modern  times.  It 
is  world  famous.  Indispensable  in 
every  Christian  family.  Prices,  cloth, 
$3.50  ; half  morocco,  4.50  ; full  moroc- 
co, gilt  edges,  $5.75.  Postage,  26  cents, 

321.  Well-Springs  of  Truth.  An  entirely 
new  and  fresh  book.  Of  a similar 
character  to  Royal  Path  of  Life,  but 
containing  one-third  more  matter, 
and  acknowledged  to  be  more  care- 
full}’’  prepared.  Illustrated  with  steel. 
Prices,  cloth,  $3.50 ; half  morocco, 
$4.50 ; full  morocco  and  gilt  edges, 
$5.75.  Postage,  26  cents. 

322.  American  Family  Bibles.  The  finest 
line  of  family  Bibles  published  in 
the  United  States.  These  Bibles  can- 
not be  sent  by  mail,  as  they  are  too 
large.  We  will  send  them  by  ex- 
press at  your  expense.  Send  for  il- 
lustrated circular  and  description. 
Prices,  $4.25,  $6.50,  $8.50,  $11.50, 
$15.00,  $1S.00,  $20.00. 


CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 


9 


323.  The  Home  Guide.  An  encyclopedia 
of  all  things  of  every  day  life.  Espe- 
cially valuable  to  those  upon  whom 
devolve  the  responsibilities  of  house- 
hold management.  Its  practical, 
economical,  and  hygienic  features 
will  be  recognized  by  every  one  who 
examines  its  pages.  Elegantly  illus- 
trated. Price,  $2.00. 

324.  Mother  Truth’s  Melodies.  A kinder- 
garten of  the  most  useful  knowledge 
for  children  ; presenting  lessons  that 
charm  the  child  of  two  years,  delight 
the  one  of  ten,  entertain  those  of  fif- 
teen, and  serve  as  a pleasant  review 
of  important  subjects  for  those  still 
older.  It  is  as  easy  as  “Mother 
Goose,”  and  much  more  sensible  and 
instructive.  The  most  appropriate 
and  acceptable  gift  for  a little  child. 
In  one  large  quarto  vol.  Price,  cloth, 
gilt  edges,  $2.25. 

325.  The  World’s  Highway  to  Fortune, 
Happiness,  and  Heaven.  A fascinat- 
ing work,  treating  in  charming  and 
simple  language  of  all  the  greatest 
concerns  of  life.  It  is  adapted  to  all 
classes  of  people,  of  every  age,  avo- 
cation or  condition.  Elegantly  illus- 
trated. Price,  cloth,  gold  stamps, 
$3.50. 

326.  The  Physiology  of  Woman.  Em- 
bracing girlhood,  maternity,  and  ma- 
ture old  age.  By  Mrs.  Sarah  Hackett 
Stevenson,  M.  D.  This  book  is  emi- 
nently a woman’s  book  for  women, 
and  is  full  of  the  most,  sound  and 
practical  advice  for  the  preservation 
of  health  among  all  classes  of  women. 
Price,  cloth  bound,  $1.50. 

327.  All  Aboard  for  Sunrise  Lands.  The 

most  charming  book  of  Oriental 
travel  and  adventure  that  has  ever 
been  published.  A book  of  travels 
through  Colorado,  California,  across 
the  Pacific  to  Japan,  China,  Austra- 
lia, and  the  Isles  of  the  Sea.  One 
elegantly  illustrated  quarto  volume, 
of  nearly  400  pages  and  over  200  fine 
engravings.  Prices,  ehromo  cover, 
cloth  back,  $2.50;  silk  cloth,  black, 
green,  and  gold  sides,  gilt  edges, 
$3.00. 

32S.  Bright  and  Happy  Homes.  A house- 
hold guide  and  companion,  embrac- 
ing, “Marriage,”  “The  Home,” 
“ Husband  and  Wife,”  “Father  and 
Mother,”  “The  Children,”  “The 
Government  of  Home,”  etc.  A large 
number  of  topics  treated.  Written 


by  Peter  Parley,  Jr.  One  elegantly 
illustrated  quarto  vol.  1000  engrav- 
ings. Price,  $4.50. 

329.  The  Kingdoms  of  Nature;  or,  Life 
and  Organization  from  the  Elements 
to  Man.  A strictly  scientific  work 
by  a world-wide  known  author;  “a 
veteran  in  the  study,  a true  lover  of 
natural  history,  widely  known  as  a 
physician  and  professor.”  This  book 
goes  over  the  same  field  of  observa- 
tion as  the  celebrated  “ Descent  of 
Man,”  with  much  more  recent  facts 
and  observations  added.  Price,  cloth, 
$3.50. 

330.  Concordance  to  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. Latest  and  Best.  Price,  $1.50. 

331.  Heaven  and  its  Scriptural  Em- 
blems; or.  The  Splendors  and  Joys 
of  Glorified  Saints.  Illustrations  ou 
steel.  Price,  iu  cloth,  $1.75. 

332.  Thirty  Years  in  the  Arctic  Re- 
gions. Embracing  a graphic  narra- 
tion of  Sir  John  Franklin’s  Expedi- 
tions. Price,  cloth,  $1.75. 

333.  A Dictionary  of  Synonyms.  Nearly 
20,000  synonymous  words,  etc.  A 
guide  to  the  writer  and  speaker. 
Carry  it  in  your  pocket  for  hourly 
reference.  Price,  35  cents. 

334.  Wonderful  Adventures  by  Land 
and  Sea.  Price,  $1.75. 

335.  Hand-Book  of  Bible  Readings.  A 
complete  hand-book,  with  500  exam- 
ples, for  conducting  public  or  private 
exercises.  Invaluable  to  the  evan- 
gelist and  pastor.  Price,  cloth,  75 
cents. 

336.  The  Little  Trapper,  and  other  enter- 
taining and  instructive  stories,  with 
manv  descriptive  illustrations.  Price, 
$1.25. 

337.  The  Little  Captain.  A temperance 
tale.  Illustrated.  Price,  50  cents. 

338.  Lessons  for  Little  Folks.  Songs, 
recitations,  etc.  174  pages.  Price, 
cloth,  75  cents. 

339.  Night  Sides  of  City  Life.  Price, 

50  cents. 

340.  The  Nineteenth  Century.  A his- 
tory. Price,  $1.00. 

341.  Nineteen  Christian  Centuries  in 
Outline.  A guide  to  historical  study, 
for  home  reading  and  literary  clubs. 
Price,  $1.25. 

342.  One  Fold  and  One  Shepherd.  Show- 
ing the  basis  on  which  all  denomina- 
tions can  unite  for  work  for  Jesus. 
Illustrated.  Price,  $1.50. 

343.  Travels  and  Discoveries  in  North 
and  Central  Africa.  Price,  $1.75. 


/ 


* 


Date  Due 


Library  Bureau  Cat.  no.  1137 


Duka  University  Libraries 


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